


Under the Eyes of the Hokage

by The Raven Sennin (orphan_account)



Series: Naruto: Henshin [5]
Category: Naruto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-04-21
Updated: 2011-05-28
Packaged: 2017-10-18 11:43:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/188565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/The%20Raven%20Sennin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>... life in Konohakagure happens, and their village changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ... the weary return home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [evilgenus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilgenus/gifts), [Waywren Truesong (waywren)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywren/gifts).



> Many people either over or underestimate the size of a hidden village.
> 
> Those that overestimate, tend to be thinking about how big they want their military to be. Those that undershoot tend to think about how rarely the average citizen sees a ninja in peace time.
> 
> There is also a similar problem when it comes to guessing how many ninjas live in a village. Those who assume a near absolute ninja population forget about family members who do not walk the path, and the support a village needs. Those who under estimate forget that despite the general ninja to civilian population ratio, this is a ninja village.
> 
> Take Konohagakure. It's a fraction the size of the capital of Hi, the fire nation. Given that Hi's capital is a teaming urban area with a population bordering on 120,000, this means the most populous hidden village has around 15,000 people in it. And that number accounts for who lives within the village walls. It does not account for outlay outside.
> 
> At 15,000, Konoha is more a small city. It's called a village out of respect and tradition. The whole Konoha force is not just located in Konoha, but in small bunkers and/or towns through out Hi-- some more militarized, ninja-only locations; others, like Konoha itself, towns that happen to be military bases.
> 
> Once you realize that Konoha is both welcoming of civilians to a degree more militarized villages are not, that it embraces and encourages its clans and their cultures, and that many nins take on civilian vocations as well... the fact that the actual ninja population has ranged between as little as a quarter and as much as three quarters or so of the total population isn't that surprising-- especially accounting for some of the tragedies this village has weathered.
> 
> Currently, there are about 10,000 nins in Konoha-- about 2/3 the populations. Roughly half that force is devoted primarily to the way of the ninja.
> 
> At least, that's how I'm choosing to interpret a population given as "five stars". (face-palm)
> 
> I own nothing in the original work this derivative is based on-- or the things I borrowed from/ homage to. Wren, throw the switch and give the folks the fic.
> 
> No, Wren-- NOT THAT SWITCH!
> 
> Oh dear. Uh... enjoy the fic, and if anyone sees a giant raven quoting Animaniacs... contact me. Hugin hasn't had his grapefruit bruelle today...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debriefings, setting things up, settling in.
> 
> Edited June 29, 2011.

**MAY 18, 11th YEAR, SECOND REIGN OF THE SANDAIME**

“Walk with me.”

“I told you, I’m fine.”

“Good. Walk with me.”

“Hakun. They aren’t going to change overnight.”

“I understand. Stay beside me.”

“ _I don’t want them looking at you that way!_ ”

Naruto looked away from him. They had been arguing about this off and on since an hour’s distance from Konoha, and finally they had come to what was really bothering her.

Haku caught his betrothed’s gaze and then leaned in.

It wasn’t the deepest, or most passionate, or most intimate kiss he’d ever given her. But he did his best to make it the most loving. He heard someone suppress a pained gasp behind him, and ignored it for the moment.

“We face things together. I respect you too much to do otherwise. Don’t you respect me?”

She sighed. “You don’t deserve some of what I get.”

“And how much of it did you ever deserve?” Tani Ryu said, more than a little self loathing in his voice.

“Taniisan--”

“Naruto,” the solidly built, shaven head jounin said. “You have no idea how often I called Ai on giving someone crap for no reason, or your dad for retreating too far into himself when he should have been talking to us, or your mom for raging like a madwoman. Just because you care about people... that shouldn't be a license to let them walk all over you. If anything, it's your responsibility to let them know how stupid they're being. Sometimes you'll need to be polite, and time it right so that they listen. Others... I've dangled your father off the top of the Hokage Monument. Before he was on it. After I made sure to dangle him off his own forehead."

Naruto blinked, and then burst out laughing.

"It wasn't without reason," Tani noted. "Right, Sensei?"

Jiraiya seemed to have developed some sort of pain in his foot, and he was looking at Tsunade. She had a smug look on her face, likely confident in her ability to treat whatever minor injuries she inflicted on the Sage.

"Minato had developed the nasty habit of testing jutsu on Ai, his girlfriend and Tani without asking, yes," Jiraiya-sama said, with a slow smile. "And the pranks-- all the kami and our ancestors were entertained when your mother and father got into an all out prank war. And your dad would always go that touch too far first. I seem to recall Ai stripping his feet so Kushina could tickle them once or twice, too."

This just made Naruto laugh harder and she nudged Haku. "That... that won't work on me, you do realize that?"

"Ah, but I know where it will work."

Naruto winced, still laughing, now a bit nervously as she blushed.

"How does _he_ know where she's-- EE-JA!"

"I'm sure it was perfectly innocent, darling," Tsunade said. Jiraiya grumbled grudging agreement as he rubbed his other foot.

"Squee."

"It's not nice to laugh at Daddy, Tonton."

"Oink."

"She has a point, Jiraiya-sama," Shizune said gently.

"Don't encourage the pig, Shi-chan."

"Hai, Gamma-sama."

"Oink."

"Stifle it, Tonton."

Haku offered his arm to Naruto. "Walk with me, Naruko?"

And maybe it was the pleading note in his voice, or maybe it was that this time he asked. But she smiled, and took his arm.

* * *

It was actually rather amusing, Kakashi reflected, seeing the double takes on the faces of those that bothered to look close enough. Either they noticed that Naruto was different somehow, or caught that Haku was a boy, or suddenly registered who stood directly behind them-- two of the Sannin? With the pariah? Very amusing.

Amusing enough to help stomp down the rage, anyway.

He took up the back, with Tani-san. It kept up appearances, not letting the nukenin have his back. And let him observe.

The way some people looked at his genin...

He saw the naked and masked hate from some. It wasn't the majority of the populous, but it was a notable minority. The kind that had collected into mobs twice in twelve years. Enough to make a young nin's life that bit harder.

As bad was the pity from others-- pity, there was a useless emotion. Empathy or even sympathy might motivate you to action. Pity was a way to convince yourself you weren't as bad as those causing the problem without risking action. A bad person wouldn't feel bad, right?

Tse. If Minato-sensei had pitied him, if Danzou-sama had, if the Hokage had merely pitied him... he would have followed his father years ago. A person's good or ill for their world was in their actions.

His exposed eye darted to the left. Tani looked a bit less amused, and a bit angrier. And yes, there seemed to be a bit of self flagellation in there. It got worse when Tani-san caught the eye of a questioning nin. Tani-san met the man's gaze, and the man frowned, but nodded, continuing on his business.

"Tani-san?" Kakashi prompted. Even after all these years, the jounin with the shaven head did not startle. The nin hadn't been drowned by the drunk, then.

"How many, Kakashi-kun, followed my lead? I was the Yondaime's friend, after all-- Kushina-kun's friend, come to it. I should know if... how the child should be treated," he corrected himself.

Kakashi frowned, before turning back to his book. "I won't lie, Ryu-sempai. You did have a lot of pull. Still do. Some probably took your lead... but more simply added to the pile of 'evidence' that let them do what they wanted anyway."

Tani's frown deepened, then he nodded. "Some would be idiot either way."

"Shino-kun?"

"Keep walking."

Kakashi looked up in a manner the Nara would find admirable, slow and natural. He had felt the bug-nin approach of course, and now heard the unmistakable low hum of kaikuchou sharing the irritation of their human host. Aburame Shino, dressed in his clan's trademark long coat and dark glasses, matched their pace easily.

"Are you--" Naruto began.

"If you caught someone stepping on my friends simply because they thought insects were gross, how would you feel?" the boy said. Naruto's face grew tight. Shino nodded once. "And we are not even close friends. Keep walking. So, this is Fubuki-san?"

Introductions were made and the Aburame kept pace easily. If Kakashi had to guess, he'd offer that Shino was scanning the town behind his opaque glasses. He was well mannered, if having the Aburame quirk of being so precise it confused people. Though it seemed he had a growing awareness of it, often asking leading questions to see if he was understood or if he'd need to give some background before he got to the meat.

As they walked on, the glares seemed to lessen. Some stopped when they saw the Gamma-sennin and the Senju-hime, of course. Shino, Sasuke and Sakura chattering with Naruto likely hit them too. But he rapidly noticed the way Haku met many a glare with his own killing intent. The young oinin's intent had a fittingly cold hunter's edge to it, and Kakashi actually saw one jounin freeze in shock, dropping a kunai he'd been attempting some tritely suggestive gestures with.

Okay, so Tani's hotter intent and his own one eyed, almost off hand look helped.

The ANBU dropping from above and "helpfully" picking up said blade just made it perfect. He caught a glimpse of the boar mask and smirked. Well. Inoshishi was watching today. Had the Guardians of the Heart requested that, or maybe Danzou-sama or the Hokage himself? No matter. Inoshishi-kun was an ANBU's nin. They were in good hands.

"After you report to the Hokage," Shino asked as they came upon the tower, "do you have any plans?"

"I was gonna take Hakun to Ichiraku!" the blonde answered joyously. Her voice became a sing song. "Ramen. Ramen. Ra-men. Ramen ramen raaaaaaaaaaaaa-men!"

Haku smirked. "I'm beginning to think Sakura is right about this being an obsession."

"It's *not* an obsession," said Naruto firmly. "Why, calling it that is like saying Konoha nin are obsessed with logs!"

"How does one obsess about the truly sacred?" Shino asked.

"All praise the log," Tani murmured.

"Amen," Jiraiya said, earning an eye roll from his (allegedly) long suffering wife, even as she and Kakashi chimed in.

Haku looked puzzled.

"White lotus tiles," Naruto offered.

"Ah."

Shino's left eyebrow rose. "Ichiraku. Mm. You have excellent taste. Perhaps we will see you there. Good luck with your report."

After an exchange of bows, pleasantries, and an enthusiastic wave on Naruto's part, Shino parted from them.

He looked at Tani and saw his fellow jounin signal in the old Team Jiraiya code-- //reporting, friendly//-- and a jerk of his thumb at Shino. Kakashi nodded. If Naruto's fellow genin wanted to pool information, it was more than likely to a good end. And the Aburame had said "we will see you"-- having her grad class show willingness to eat and be seen with her could only help the jinchuuriki's mental state.

Kakashi strode forward and laid his left hand on Naruto's shoulder, and his right on Haku's. "They'll likely split us up when we get inside-- Haku, the twins, and we have to be handled differently," he explained, even as Naruto's lip jutted out in a trade mark pout. "Haku will likely be debriefed by Shimura-sama himself as an informant. T&I will take the twins. And since this was supposed to be a C Rank that blew up to at least a B, we'll be debriefed by the Hokage and his left and right arm."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "So Utatane-baasan is gonna be there."

"What's wrong with Koharu-sama?" Tsunade asked, in her off hand manner that implied the secondary, "And do I need to kill her?"

"She always makes me feel like I'm disappointing her. And I've tried to figure out how! I even stopped pranking for a year!"

"And her seventh year was a peaceful one indeed," Kakashi noted to anyone wanting a chuckle. The adults did so, lightly.

"She just deals with me 'cause she has to," Naruto muttered.

Seeing the Sage and Princess share a look, Kakashi resolved to ask them about it later. "Well, today she'll just have to deal with us," he said disinterestedly. He caught the silent signal from one of the jounin on duty.

"Chamber... 5?" Naruto said, frowning as Haku and the other nukenin were directed to T&I's more public offices in the tower. Even a brief hand squeeze from Haku brought only the smallest, briefest smile to her face.

"Good," Kakashi said, and seized on the subject as a distraction. "When did you start learning clerk signs?"

Naruto's smile was proud. "Oh, one of the chuunins on desk rotation for Jiji's reception room taught me so he could tell me where Jiji was without interrupting his work. When the other clerks and guards heard, it... just became what we did," she finished with a shrug. "Most of them, anyway. I noticed you and Taniisan--"

"Jiraiya-sensei taught us those," Tani said. "Minato, Ai, and I added to them. We'll teach you three and you'll add your own."

"Just like we added ours to what Hiruzen taught us," Jiraiya noted with nostalgia in his voice. "Remember this one, dear-- EE-JA!"

"I'd guess yes," Sasuke murmured. Sakura snorted.

"What's amusing is this is likely foreplay for them," she shot back.

The Senju-hime's scandalized look and Jiraiya's wide grin sent his genin into hysterics. Well, Sasuke just smirked, but for an Uchiha...

* * *

Compared to the smile Hiruzen had seen Hatake give his genin walking into the chamber for his solo debriefing, the ice in Hatake Kakashi's eye now was stark and sobering. He removed his mask, revealing a face as flat and unyielding. His gaze settled on Koharu, and Hiruzen actually smirked. He turned slightly to the left and saw Homura shared it.

"Do not upset Naruto today," Kakashi said, in that bored, even tone that suggested absolute importance.

"I--"

"She feels as though you are the aunt in the corner who never really talks to her, frowning at her no matter what she does," Kakashi said. "Please, Utatane-sama. Take it as advice and information. Right now, above all else, Naruto needs to be acknowledged as a person. And of you three, you are the only one she isn't sure of."

Koharu's eyes actually widened to less than a squint for a moment. "I... appreciate your advice, Hatake-san. As I have some honest concerns, I will... have to convey them properly. Are there... any further concerns regarding the well being of your charges?"

"Your concern for all of my team is appreciated," the Copy-nin said. Hatake frowned thoughtfully. "Sasuke is beginning to ask questions about the night his clan was decimated, and they are the kind that give me hope. He's rather irritated on Naruto's behalf, as much for what his father has apparently done as what the village as a whole has. He's anxious to return Naruto's entitled lands to her."

"There may be an issue there, sadly. Homura, contact Hiashi-san," Hiruzen said. "Give him permission to explain Sasuke's father's... actions following the guardianship transfer. Also... I will give Danzou approval to go over what we know of that night."

"Hai," the legal eye said with a nod. He met the eye of the Fourth's student. "And what of Haruno Sakura?"

Hatake smirked. "Frustrated. Eager to correct the obvious gaps in her ability, and close the gulf between her potential and the reality. Her mind has begun to turn over. She's less interested in being a fangirl for Sasuke, and more interested in being a team mate to both of them. I've noticed Naruto calling her neesan once or twice. Her mind... it's incredibly sharp, she's just not been using it to best effect. She'll get there."

Hiruzen sighed with open relief, and took a slow, contemplative drag on his pipe. "Very well. We've read the mission report you sent us. I must apologize for the gaps in our information."

"An obvious misclass-- though in Tazuna-san's defence, I doubt he could have come up with B or A-Rank money even pooling with his neighbours," Hatake said. "Gato... he'd pushed that area into a depression akin to the one most of the Elemental Countries suffered just prior to the Second Shinobi war. I am honestly concerned for our friends there, above and beyond consideration of Shippuden Corp."

"Koharu?" Hiruzen prompted.

Koharu smiled gently. "Since we are establishing a constabulary there, I contacted the Daimyo. As of yesterday, Nami no Kuni is officially considered a Hi ally, who we are aiding in recovery-- much as the mainland Uzu no Kuni lands were during the last war, or the Kusagakure territories now."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Are we formally taking control of Nami? Mizu no Kuni may not be a place of politicking, but--"

"The Daimyo has agreed that any further link between Nami and Hi should be negotiated with whatever representative Nami's people eventually choose," Homura broke in. "I helped craft a full, quite honest missive to the Mizudaimyo and Mizukage. They've approved of the plan, though... I did have to class Jiraiya's ally Zabuza as a nukenin and collect the bounty."

"Regrettable," Hatake said earnestly. "A good man. Saved our lives."

"Politics," Homura sighed. "They were, surprisingly, not interested in the Oni, and I somehow regrettably missed identifying Uzumaki-san's betrothed as the nukenin hunter who assisted in the coup attempt. He will thus be able to take the bounty in lieu of a proper inheritance."

Hatake bowed deep. Hiruzen smirked-- Kakashi knew full well what it took to get Homura to bend the rules. "And so, Nami's political position...?"

"There will be no formal immediate annexing, even if Nami suggests it," Hiruzen said firmly. "If Nami becomes part of Hi, it will be peacefully over time. Such a merger aside... as of now, Konoha is as good as their hidden village. Thus, people like Tazuna-san shall no longer need to hire us to simply enforce the rule of law."

Hatake mastered his surprise and nodded his thanks.

"I must say," Koharu noted, smiling slightly, "it is good to see you eyeing investments for Naruto's future as your sensei did for you after your father's passing."

There was the barest hint of red under Hatake's exposed eye. Hiruzen hurriedly spoke, before silence compelled Hatake to. "Anything further before we bring in your team, Kakashi-san?" the Professor asked.

Hatake Kakashi smirked, blush fading. "That depends on whether you are willing to give me permission to rant at you for a bit... or would rather hear it from Tsunade-hime-sama..."

Hiruzen bit down on his pipe. He heard Koharu gulp and saw Homura start to polish his glasses.

"Kakashi-san..." Hiruzen managed, "... please, feel free."

* * *

"The official record will reflect Jiraiya's cover story," the man with the mop of dark hair began bluntly, "as I trust him implicitly. However, I must ask you to be honest with me about what happened."

Haku gave a small smile. "You would be Shimura Danzou-sama."

Shimura-sama smirked. "Ah, am I still in Kirigakure's bingo book, then?"

"As of when we left. Same bounty as the Hokage and his personal council, with the whole 'hostile situation only' qualifier, of course."

"Of course. Off the record?"

"Killing any of you four is seen as a potential suicide mission."

Shimura frowned. "I'll have to do something dramatic so it's not even considered a potential mission again, then. Please, address me as Danzou-san. I am no Kage, nor am I one of the Sannin. If you are under my direct command, that is another matter. Do you feel willing to tell me what actually happened from your perspective?"

"Are you operating on your own assumptions, or--"

Danzou shook his head. "Kami, no. Jiraiya knows me better than that. Leave me to dig on my own, and... well... I don't stop." He pulled out a scroll, showing it had been sealed with Jiraiya's deceptively complex privacy fuinjutsu. "His true report. My eyes, Hokage's eyes only-- with the option to extend that as needed. Ibiki has been told your twin friends were ignorant of the official story until now."

Haku nodded, slowly. "As you wish, Danzou-san. Before I start, however-- I noted something on my way in that I have no doubt is a potential threat to this village. Especially my betrothed."

Danzou leaned forward in interest. "Speak," he said.

* * *

Sakura had moved from figuring out ways to keeps Naruto's boundless energy in check to being as annoyed as her team mate. Even Sasuke's sour look of impatience seemed justified.

"They would use a sealed chamber," Naruto grumbled. "Think they're chewing out Kashi-sensei?"

"More likely _he's_ chewing _them_ out," Sakura spat. She had a brief "did I just say that" moment, but she stomped it down. The world was going to get her honesty, like it or not.

"Heh."

The two girls looked at Sasuke.

"Maybe I'll get a tomato ration for every mission."

Sakura snorted. "Sasuke-san must have his tomatoes. And Ramen!"

"Ramen!" Echoed Naruto. "'Three packs a day, for each cute little genin! They must have one at every meal, Hokage-sama!'"

"Which, of course, are there so she can steal them," Sasuke deadpanned.

"'Tomato Ramen for the Uchiha!'"

"They can do that?"

"'And for Sakura, BOOKS! My cute little genius genin needs books!'"

"'On tactics!'" Sakura offered, though her impression of their sensei wasn't as good as Narukun's.

"'And psychology, for dealing with her head case team mates!'"

"Hn."

"'Team mates, stern cute little genin. Plural.'"

"... I will agree with that..."

"'And on ijutsus!'" Sakura piped up.

"'And maybe..." Naruto said, looking from side to side slyly, "just maybe... you could slip in some of those Aihara Miki romances...?'"

Sakura blinked, and then grinned, managing not to chortle. "'They are something both she and I... appreciate...'"

"'Though," Naruto added, "'for... vastly... different reasons."

"Ahem."

The three genin looked up.

"Oh. Morning, Shiranui-kun," Narukun said, foxy grin in "I'm probably in trouble, yes?" mode.

The senbon chewing nin shook his head. "They're ready for you three."

As the trio was ushered into the chamber, Shiranui murmured, "She does a pretty good Sarutobi-sama, too."

Narukun buffed her nails on her shirt.

* * *

"Because we hear you're the violent, sadistic one."

Akunoyosha Meizu blinked, then answered Morino Ibiki's smirk with a chuckle. "I suppose that's a fair description, Morino-san. I do like to tease my friends and toy with my targets. Though I do always remember which is which."

Morino-san nodded, and then his face became hard and composed. "Please explain why Mizu no Kuni is totally uninterested in you and your brother."

"Because as far as they are concerned, Morino-san, we're two worthless civilian born shinobi."

One raised eyebrow. "Explain."

"Bloodlines aren't the only thing subject to persecution in Mizu," Meizu growled, warming to the topic. "My brother and I experienced that first hand. Zazasan was the only one who took us seriously, and we aren't still chuunin due to lack of skill. There were--are, as far as I know-- hurdles put in the way of people of our background there. I was in the bureaucratic run around for three. Damn. Years. Trying to be considered for promotion. And I would have given up, but my brother is a clever man who deserved it, damn it!"

Morino-san raised an eyebrow. "I think our table gets your point."

Meizu noticed his hand in a fist, resting on the table. A table that, yes, now had a dent in it.

"I wondered why I was hearing bangs in time with the important stuff," he said weakly.

Morino-san just smirked. Something in that smirk made Meizu feel a bit worried.

* * *

 _Anko's going to either kill him or fuck him,_ Ibiki noted carefully to himself.

* * *

"Jiji, Oyaji," Uzumaki Naruto shouted, and then her tone changed ever so slightly. "Obasan." The girl's teammate with the pink hair nudged her with an elbow, gently, and Naruto smiled even as she complained, "Oi, Sakura-nee-chan, that's what I always call them..."

"We need to show a little respect, Narukun!"

Koharu forced herself not to frown. It seemed Kakashi was right-- Minato's child did not entirely trust her. The fact that someone like her who specialized in enhancing her perceptions missed this gave her a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. Though it was somewhat heartening to note Naruto was still Naruto.

"Sakura," Kakashi said, mask back up, smiling but serious, "Perhaps it is best to let the people being addressed correct the means of address, mm?"

Haruno-kun looked a bit embarrassed at this. "Hai, Sensei, sorry. Sorry, Hokage-sama, Utatane-sama, Mitokado-sama."

"It is alright, Haruno-kun," the Sandaime said, smoking on his ever present pipe. "Some of the finer points of manners can only come with time-- though perhaps you can share your training in the more obvious with your team mates?"

This time, Koharu was holding laughter as Haruno's look-- a look that caused her team mates to sweat in a way the three kage-level nins in front of them did not.

After all, it had been a while since Hiruzen had gotten THAT LOOK.

Hiruzen smirked at the by-play, and then adopted 'Professor Mode'. "Team Seven. By all accounts, despite an obvious misclass, you performed beyond expectations. Because of this misclassing, as well as other events... we will be debriefing you."

"Note to self," Naruto muttered. "Changing genders equals boring meetings."

"Ahem," Hiruzen said with a small smirk.

"Sorry, Jiji."

"We would be questioning you simply for the misclass, Uzumaki-kun," said Koharu. She noticed a slight shift in Naruto's stance, leaning closer to Sakura. She also saw Uchiha-san slip ever so slightly into a more ready stance, almost as if ready to defend his team mate in her uncertainty. "Normally," Koharu continued, "we'd separate you and debrief you one on one. However, given recent events... would you prefer to be debriefed in a group?"

The three genin looked at her, puzzled, then at each other. Naruto stood up straight and tall after a moment. "Do it the way you would anyone else. I don't need any special treatment." Her head bowed a little. "As... long as Kakashi-sensei is here."

Koharu nodded slowly. "As you wish," she said, and Shiranui Gemma opened the door on cue. "Haruno-kun, Uchiha-san, if you would...?"

For some reason, Haruno's brief hand running across Naruto's back and Uchiha's nod and almost challenging smirk gave Utatane Koharu a stirring of hope and a surprising stab of guilt.

* * *

"Hime-sama!"

Anyone who saw Mitarashi Anko glomp the last of the Senju would have been wise to keep any commentary to themselves, unless they were dear enough friends to take the death threats that would follow as jokes-- most of the time. Hino Hokuto was in the later company, but she simply smiled at her friend's suddenly girlish demeanour. This wasn't the fake little girl used to make a shop keeper nervous, or the childish blood lust she used to freak people out. This was earnest happiness.

Senju-sama was, as always, awkward in the face of blunt affection. The fact that this did nothing to dissuade Anko was actually rather sweet.

Anko started to bring the Legendary Sucker (and every joke on _that_ title had been made)) up to speed. Senju-sama occasionally stopped her for a question or an approving or disapproving comment.

Hokuto smirked and turned to the Sennin.

"And where's the rest of your merry little family?" she asked, hoping to get Jiraiya into bubbling cute explanation mode.

The toad-summoner smirked. "On their way, I just wanted a few days where Naruto had my undivided attention.

"Oh?" his wife said, leaning over to Hokuto. "Ask him why he didn't invite me to Special One on One God Parent Time."

Hokuto was nothing if not dutiful. "Ero-sama, why didn't you invite Hime-sama to Special One on One God Parent Time?"

"Uh-- well... you see, Hokuto-kun, that's a complex issue... requiring I explain, er, several dozen factors--"

"Oh," Hokuto said, smiling pleasantly. "Then... please do."

"Uh... um... that is... Oh, look at the time, I have a manuscript that my pub--"

"Why, dear, you sent that off yesterday. And Gutsy Samurai and the Five Magic Spheres isn't due for another month..."

Jiraiya frowned. "Oh, really, Hime-chan? I wasn't aware you were keeping track."

"It is a pleasure to help out in this minor way, O-Danna-sama," Tsunade said with a smirk.

There was a moment of shared smirking.

"So, Gamma-sama," Anko said, "why wasn't Hime-sama invited to--"

"Because I wanted some time with her to myself," Jiraiya sighed in defeat. "I've... only been indirectly involved with her life so far, and I wanted to make it up to her. It was selfish and a bit silly not to tell my wonderful, beautiful, sexy, youthful wife this."

"Oh, I forgot to ask, how is Gai-kun?" Hime-sama asked.

"He only mentions youthful after he's seen Maito-san?" Hokuto whispered to Anko.

"He'd better hope it's because of that," Tsunade muttered, startling the two.

 _But really,_ Hokuto admitted to herself, _we expected her not to hear?_

"As a matter of fact, Gai-kun was sent to start setting up our new constabulary in Nami. He's got an apprentice that dresses just like him..."

Senju-sama blinked. "Just... like..."

"Down to the bowl cut," Jiraiya said, grinning.

"... I should have insisted on sitting in on the mental screening that year, my winning streak should have told me that..."

Anko looked around with a frown. "Say, where's Shizune-chan?"

Senju-sama's smile was not comforting. "Oh, just... handling a few things with that nice boy Umino-san."

* * *

"Nice punch," Iruka noted dryly.

"Thank you," Shizune said, not even shaking out her hand as she looked at the target. "Now then, Taka-san... as I said. You are five months arrears so we are evicting you. Papers signed by the owners. Have an important tenant we want to move in. Get out."

"How'd... little girls shudnit be able ta hit tha hard..." the man who had attempted to attack Tsunade's slight apprentice managed.

"Ah. I can provide further proof otherwise, if you insist," Shizune said, and Iruka allowed himself a smirk as she very deliberately made her gathering chakra visually noticeable.

"No! No! I get it, sorry, kami don't hurt me!" the man said, throwing up his hands. "When-- when do you need me out?"

"Now," Shizune said simply. "So, Iruka, his or hers, now that you've seen both?"

"Given what I know of the gentleman, this North East exposure would suit him better."

"What, right now...?" the skinny man muttered.

Iruka suddenly turned toward the man. "Are you denying the central clauses of the Konoha Landlord Tenant Act? One of the earliest laws, drafted by the Shodai himself with the aid of his clan mate and adviser Senju Touka-sama? Are you aware of the history you are disrespecting? Why, when the Shodai passed it, it was to insure that civilians such as yourself were protected from vain shinobi, and even non nin that held power. Further, under proviso three of said law, the owners are graciously paying for a week's hotel stay. Why, in Iwa--"

Shizune blinked as Taka-san stumbled a few polite responses out to Iruka's lecture. Was... the chuunin's head... growing...?

* * *

Naruto found herself looking around puzzled suddenly.

"Is something the matter, Naruto?" Jiji asked.

"No, just... I suddenly got the feeling that I'm missing seeing someone else get chewed out by Iruka-sensei, and I thought the Academy was on break."

"It is," the Hokage murmured.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said, "Tsunade-hime did mention asking him to help her apprentice with a few... errands regard their properties in the area."

"Ah," Mitokado said. "So you may well be right, Naruto. He is likely making sure someone understands the Konoha Landlord Tenant Act or the Decree on Squatter's Rights as we speak."

Naruto gave a foxy grin. "Heh. As long as it's not me."

"Uzumaki-kun," Utatane said, and why was she being so make nice? Kashi-sensei must have said something to her...

"Naruto?" her sensei prompted expectantly.

"Uh... sorry, Kashi-sensei. What was the question, Baasan?"

The woman smiled slightly. "You've got better focus than I did at your age, I assure you. I was asking... what exactly happened within the mirrors? Can you describe it?"

Naruto bit her lip. "I... talked to Kashi-sensei about it, and I think I've got the words. It's like... well, I heard the Shodai could do freaky stuff with his tree jutsus that didn't seem obvious from the way... you know, how plants act in nature. Or even how putting any element in a weapon-- wind makes it sharper, I read fire makes the damage linger..."

Now the smile seemed surprised, proud... and a little relieved.. "You are well informed, Uzumaki-kun." Utatane then scowled. "It makes me wonder why more of your teachers were not more... willing... to teach such an eager student. You mean to say a secondary effect manifest, due to Fubuki-san's chakra powering the seishitsu henka?"

"Yeah! And he has a few... which he'll likely wanna share himself," Naruto said.

Utatane nodded. "If at all. We would no more force him to tell us than force the Aburame to explain all their family jutsus. You need only describe as much as applies here."

Naruto allowed herself a small smile. If Baasan was really trying to be nice... "Well, it's like-- when I tapped the Kyuubi's chakra for the first time; it messed up his control over how his mirrors acted, right?"

"I can attest to that from personal experience," Sarutobi said with a wince. "Caught unaware, a nin washed in demonic chakra-- it is similar enough in... shall we say, flavour? It's enough like the chakra we generate that you can compensate if aware, but it's that very sameness that can prove to distort your abilities."

"I guessed that!" Naruto said, proud of herself. "So, so when it started to manifest, the mirrors slipped into one of the... things they just do, when Hakun's not focusing. And they're mirrors, so it was reflecting... except, it reflected our minds to each other, too. So it was like getting to know someone the way I know Iruka-sensei in seconds. Maybe," she added, licking her lips, "a little better. So, I suddenly had a new chakra bond to adjust to, and... well, I feel lucky it was Hakun." She knew she was blushing, but that was fine. Really, she wasn't going to deny it later. That'd be silly. Why, her cool and hip sensei wouldn't do that!

Utatane's eyes widened to nearly normal openness. Shame she was squinting all the time, her dark eyes were actually kinda nice. "That is... I understand. That addresses some concerns I had..."

"Concerns?" Naruto asked, confused again. She noticed Jiji taking one of those deep, relieved puffs on his pipe.

The Hokage frowned thoughtfully. "Naruto, understand-- to us, Fubuki-san may well be one of your godfather's informants, but he is unknown nukenin from a place that has produced some... unsavoury ones. To us, it is a matter of two genin we already have concerns about being subjected to the stress of an unknown nin's jutsu. Our minds are reeling with ever possible thing that could go wrong in such a situation."

Naruto thought about that, and remembered what Kakashi had said about training young genin on the trip back.

"Thank you. For caring, I mean," she finally said, with a small smile. "Any way... I don't know much about sealing, so I'm not sure whether the 'hide me as a boy' part of the seal was supposed to go when the barrier between me and Angry and Fuzzy weakened..."

"You seem to have... adjusted rather well to that," Mitokado noted. "Has the... henge caused any problems?"

"'Henge' doesn't seem to cover it, does it?" Kakashi mused.

Naruto nodded to this, and then remembered the question. "Well... I feel fine, but Sensei wants us to see Sayuri-chan for a checkup. And Baachan-- uh, Tsunade-baachan wants to sit in."

"Hyuuga Sayuri-san?" Mitokado asked.

"She's been Naruto's care coordinator since she joined the Academy," the Hokage said.

"You're in good hands," Utatane noted.

Naruto smiled. "She's great!" Then she sobered. "The only real thing is... my period started two days after."

She was sort of surprised when Jiji gave a wince not of disgust, but sympathy. Oyaji merely nodded sagely.

"Did Haruno-kun have adequate supplies, or did you need to improvise?" Utatane asked.

"Sakura had extra... stuff," Naruto said. Suddenly the embarrassment she anticipated her elders having seemed to rest in her.

" Uh... there's one other thing. And it... may make you worried again, but I promised Ero-sennin and Hakun I'd tell you." She swallowed, even as her name for Jiraiya drew smiles. "For a second-- less than we saw each other, but for a second... we both saw the Kyuubi."

There was a long, silent pause.

* * *

"It has already been arranged," Hyuuga Hiashi said, smiling ever so slightly.

Yachi blinked at the head of her clan. "Am I... that transparent, Hiashi-sama?"

The two sat in an out building in the Hyuuga gardens, as they always did when they needed to discuss matters of import. The occasion was always framed with Yachi indulging the clan head's desire for a formal tea. It was how it was marked, and the act was as much a do not disturb signal as the privacy seals on the building.

"When it comes to Naruto, your concern is as obvious as Kou's for his young cousin," the Hyuuga patriarch said drily, then gave her another small smirk as she blushed in a manner comparable to Hinata. "I have already arranged your new home with Jiraiya-sama. Nagahiko should have the details by the end of the day."

"Ah. Sorry. I should have expected you would take care of things," Yachi said, with a bow. Only a Hyuuga would have seen the subtle differences between it and the typical Bunke to Souke bow. As such, her honest respect for her benefactor was obvious.

"However, I must request that you be less covert about you activities as well," Hiashi said with that Hyuuga firmness.

Yachi frowned. "She... is an intelligent person. To do otherwise would be foolish. I shall be honest with Naruto, Hiashi-sama."

"Actually, you are as much aiding me further as anything else," Hiashi said, voice all business now. Yachi's concern only grew as he reached over and with careful, measured ease began to prepare them each more tea. When Hiashi did that, what followed would be of the utmost importance.

Yagi took a refined sip of tea. As always, Hiashi's tea had a simple, zen like quality to it.

"You... have concerns about Naruto's betrothed?" Yachi suggested.

"Thankfully, no. For all his eccentricities, I do trust Jiraiya-sama's judgement-- much as Kotone and I trust Maito-san with Neji despite his... quirks. I have no doubt by now that Senju-sama has endorsed the choice as well. Rather, my concern for her betrothed is now placed alongside my concerns for her. Despite the hopeful signs from the other members of her class, they are not all the residents of Konoha."

Yachi nodded slowly in understanding. "There is change coming."

"Indeed. And not all welcome it."

* * *

"A girl?" the elder of the two men said. "Are you sure?"

"Hai, Lo-sama," the younger replied.

The brows on the elder's forehead narrowed. They'd been carefully thinned from unrulely bushiness to dignified lines that did not suit the face they were on, any more than the frown currently on it suited a face so clearly made for smiles. "A female relative of the Kyuubi bastard with the same name and fashion sense? And... she... has business interests in Nami? Why was... the boy's team... sent out to start the protection for it, Nohadou?"

"Who knows, Lo-sama? The Hokage's thinking can be hard to understand at times."

Lo nodded and smirked. "Still. This girl may provide a gate to what remains of the true Uzumaki clan, and we should try to become allies of that..."

"Especially one that rich," Nohadou murmured.

"Oh, it's good to have rich friends," Lo agreed. "But to be allied with a proper member of a family seen as so much a part of Konoha... that is the main thing."

"Such friends provide clout," Nohadou said. "And... the Uzumaki undoubtedly will be granted a Clan seat."

"And any ally on the council," Lo said with a sly smirk, "could aid the Rock line in being recognized as the clan it is..."

It was a shame that no one was there to tell Rock Lo his face was not suited to that kind of sly either.

* * *

"My son is no great loss," Kaneko Kohaku said, raising a hand to stop the report. The woman sighed. "If he chose to forget we are business people and shinobi, that is up to him."

The others kneeling round the table nodded for the most part. Kohaku saw a few looks of worry, too. That suited. If Azusa could be used as a sharp example, it would keep some of the worrying laxness she saw seeping in at bay. The Kaneko were for business and war in equal measure.

"Are we... distancing ourselves from Azusa, then?" one of the elders said, frowning. He tapped the table. "Or shall we perhaps wait...?"

"Until Ibiki is done with him, at least?" Kohaku mused. At her uncle's nod, the clan head nodded herself, slowly. "My thoughts as well. You are correct. Denouncing him too soon... it will seem that we knew of what he was doing."

"And seeing as how we did..." one of the younger members murmured, to light chuckles.

"This sea change regarding the Uzumaki is worrying," a cousin-- Taki? Headed up their shipping interests. Good with water. "There are rumours floating, that the ... child was masquerading as a boy for her protection, and that she is truly an Uzumaki."

"Oh, she's an Uzumaki alright," Kohaku said. "Despite the blonde hair. Where they dug up a cousin to take the place of the Yondaime's wife, I would not hazard to guess. But the Fourth's family was wiped out, and they needed somewhere to put the Fox, I suppose..."

"Be that as it may, this does bring up some important concerns," another adviser said-- Ah, Kimi. How her little cousin had grown, gaining the sharp mind that ran many a tea house in Hi. Kohaku gestured for the younger woman to continue. "We've been trying to marginalize the container for years, as it has the only tenuous claim to assets we desire."

Kohaku smiled, slightly. "The girl is likely to be easy to... convince. After all, she's been beat down her whole life. How much of the Will of Fire can be left under all that bluster?"

* * *

"...he actually hates Madara more than my dad, or anyone in Konoha. And... I've contacted him since. Not that I trust him or anything! Heck, I think he'd say the same about me."

"Him?" Mitokado said, finally getting a word in edgewise.

"We settled on that, since... Dad only sealed half his Chakra in there." The awkward looks the trio of Hokage and advisers gave each other said a lot. "It's okay. I understand. But, so, we decided on he, since using 'it' seems a bit disrespectful. It isn't completely right, y'know? But we're a... well, I'm a tricky little bitch with a vicious manipulative bastard inside me, and we have to figure out how to live with each other. We're... kinda stuck that way. So I'll just figure out how to deal with the fox-idiot, and he'll have to figure out how to deal with me. Believe it!"

Slowly... Utatane chuckled. "You seem better armed to deal with the fox than your mother," she said, smiling. "She usually ended up ranting at it and chaining it down, and then drinking me out of my tea stores to calm down!"

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Really?"

"My team mate takes tea very seriously," Sarutobi noted dryly. "Your mother could drink almost as much of it as she could inhale ramen."

"Ah, but at least she could appreciate the same subtleties in it I can," Utatane shot back. "Unlike certain philistines I could mention."

"It's excellent tea," Mitokado said defensively.

"Oh, Homura, just accept you've not got the palate for appreciating things the way we do," the Hokage shot back. "Naruto, your general disposition toward your... tenant is appropriate. Please, keep Hatake-san up to date on it, and he will keep us appraised. Now, I believe all our concerns have been addressed for the moment. We may have more questions latter, but for now consider details on this mission a secret until we finish the... paper work."

Naruto smiled. "There's gotta be a jutsu for that. Or you could make one, and teach me when I take over the job."

The God of Shinobi scowled. "If you get good enough to take this job, brat, you should be good enough to make your own damn jutsus."

"Figures..." Naruto grumbled, and then she met her Jiji's eyes. "Actually... Look, Kashi-sensei told us that Sasuke's father took over my dad's land, and even though Sasuke's said he'll give it back... that's just land, y'know? And any money or valuables-- I have no place to put them right now. But... everyone keeps telling me my parents had a lot of skills, and were smart, and I figure-- well, I know Dad likely didn't write the stuff behind the Hiraishin down, but he likely had some notes, and-- I figure not only could I learn some of the things he'd want to teach me, but maybe it'd have some of his thoughts and... y'know..."

The Hokage sighed, and Naruto knew that sigh, it was the I'm-sorry-but sigh, and she was schooling herself to give the fox grin--

"Your father," Utatane said, "made several such records. In fact, in a way you've seen one. The Scroll of Seals... after the Shodai wrote down the theories of sealing bijuu, his successors added to it, including your father. Details of the hand and inscribed seals needed, so kinjutsu could be remembered but not abused. The final-- or near so-- version of the jinchuuriki seal you have is within it, though not all the theory."

Naruto slowly nodded. "Okay. So I've seen something he's worked on--"

"And you will see more," Utatane said, firmly.

The Hokage looked at her, a bit cross. "Yes. Perhaps it is a matter of when--"

"Indeed," Utatane said, now addressing Sarutobi as much as Naruto. "Your parent's will specified that their notes and records be spread out amongst several of the people they knew. And that those documents are given to you as we feel you are ready."

"We...?" Naruto asked, a little shocked-- both at Baasan ignoring Jiji's hinting, and how ashamed the Hokage suddenly looked.

"Your godfather got the scroll fully explaining your seal. I believe Hyuuga Hiashi-san has several of your parents' ruminations on governance."

"Come to it," Mitokado said, not meeting Jiji's eyes or hers as he seemed lost in memory, "Your parents co-wrote an introduction to fuinjutsu that you can find in the Konoha Shinobi Library under the joint pen name Masaaki. It's called Basic Concepts in Seals."

The Hokage bowed his head, and then raised it, a sad smile forming. "You father wanted to call it Masaaki's Stunning Introduction to Splendid Sealing... but your mother and her frying pan pointed out her title would be found faster. And that if they were using a pen name to avoid it being read simply for it being their book, it was best to be a bit subtle."

"Frying... pan...?" Naruto managed, blinking and not quite sure whether to laugh.

"It's hard to tell whether she used it more for cooking or getting her point across," the village's leader deadpanned, propping his head up on one arm, hand on his cheek, his grin still tinted with sadness. "I... have your father's diary-- he started it during the War. I keep it along with copies of his official reports and decrees. And really, it was... well, you'll see."

Naruto found herself looking at Utatane. "What... what did you get Baasan?"

The elder kunoichi smiled at her. "Do you know where my house is?"

"Um... near the Aburame compound? By the warehouses?"

"Hai. Stop by and I'll show you."

Naruto simply nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak at the moment.

* * *

"That seems both tactically and socially unsound, and quite troublesome," Nara Shikaku noted.

Gouzu shrugged. "I got the feeling Haku and Zazasan knew more about the why-- I didn't even know Zazasan was in contact with the Gamma-sennin until Haku explained. After Jiraiya-sama beat us up."

"That's how that sort of thing tends to go, isn't it?" Nara smirked. "Kirigakure... how do the Mizukage hold it together?"

The 'debriefing' had been informal seeming from the start, but he had sensed the razor sharp mind behind the oh so calm questions rather quickly. The surface was that of two men talking shop. Underneath-- cloaked in another technique, this degree of questioning would have left Gouzu sweating.

"They really don't. There's a reason there's a class of special jounin just for hunting nukenin from Kiri. I did get the impression..." Gouzu shook his head slowly. "Haku-senpai never out right said it, but he and Zazasan seemed to think there was someone urging the Mizukage on. Zazasan and Yagura were close friends at one point. I hear there was a change in leadership as of late, but who knows if it's just another puppet."

Nara's eyes narrowed a moment.

"Haku-senpai said he would be informing your Shinobi no Yomi of that, and much else."

Nara nodded and relaxed. "Do you play shogi?"

* * *

"... Kami and all my ancestors," Danzou muttered. "Haku... I shudder to think how ill prepared we might have been if you had died in Nami... five, you said?"

"That I recognized," Haku said simply.

The Darkness of the Shinobi's face grew incredibly serious-- and Haku suddenly knew with dead certainty that Shimura Danzou had earned his title-- and that he was on the right side of the Darkness.

"Do you remember what I said about me and digging, Fubuki-san?"

"Hai, Danzou-san," Haku agreed readily.

"I will tell you honestly: I did not become friends with Naruto-kun's parents until shortly before they died. That friendship none the less changed the course of my life. I tell you now, Fubuki-san-- I am going to start digging. And if you trust me, and let me dig until I am done... we will have the graves of every agent of the Snake you saw."

Haku slowly smiled back. "Danzou-san. If the head of Ne is turning his darkness upon my enemies... I would be a fool to get in the way."

* * *

"I think I broke them," Sasuke admitted.

"Did you say something besides 'Hn' to them?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke smirked. "Should have started with less than ten words a sentence, Saku-senko?"

"You seem confused, Sasuke-kun," Sakura mused, tapping her chin. "Our Sensei is over there, reading a dirty book while he has a chance--"

"Damn straight," Kakashi offered from the couch he was reclining on.

They were waiting for their Kirinin friends, after much reassurance from Sensei that it was natural for a defector's briefing to take longer, and that the esteemed Team Hokage were just wanting to get Tani-san's impressions on the group, and no, Naruto's betrothed didn't need a hundred of her Kage Bushin to go rescue him.

Naruto chuckled from where she was balancing on one arm of the couch. "Well, Sakura-chan, you are supposed to teach the bastard and me manners."

"Kami knows the Dead-Last needs it," came the flat rejoinder.

"Bastard needs it more," Naruto shot back.

"This is going to be an uphill battle," Sakura sighed.

"You say something, Sakura?" Kakashi murmured.

"Just that I hate you sensei."

"Ah, tough but fair."

"Yaro," Sasuke said.

"Ha! I've never worked a farm in my life, ahoOOOOOOOOOOOOO--!"

Sakura stood just in time to see her tumbling team mate get caught.

"You planned that," Naruto accused her saviour flatly.

"No," Haku said, smiling slightly. "Merely took advantage of it."

Naruto slanted her eyes downward in thought, and then met his gaze. "This is acceptable as well."

"I'm glad."

As he helped his betrothed stand, Sakura saw the sudden grip her team mate took on Haku's arms. "So?"

Haku sighed. "Naruko, we still have to see the Hokage and his council--"

The door to the meeting chamber opened. Tani Ryu emerged, every inch the professional nin.

"Fubuki-san, you and your associates are invited to speak with the Hokage and his advisers now."

The three nukenin bowed in thanks and proceeded into the chamber. Tani closed the door, remaining every inch the proper jounin... until he was impacted by Naruto's mass.

"You gave Jiji and the others a good report, right Taniisan? You told them that those guys are awesome-- well, Hakun's awesome, Gouzan and Meizan are okay-- but do you think they can stay? I am going to be so pissed off if they can't. I'll move to Nami and---"

As Naruto kept going, Tani blinked and looked up at the rest of Team Hatake.

"All the time," Sasuke said.

"Never stops," Sakura added.

"Almost like Gai going on about youth..." Hatake mused, and then returned to his book.

Sakura held back a laugh as Tani looked down at the still ranting Naruto, who had somehow begun a discourse on the laws she would pass about paper work when she was Hokage. Right after the Ramen appreciation day, which she wasn't sure if it should be every Saturday or every two. But before that was the no cat mission by-law and a dozen other things she'd do when she was Hokage.

And she'd be Hokage, believe it.

* * *

"During said three month lock-down," the Hokage was explaining, "We will provide you all with instruction on Konoha's laws, regulations, and customs. We will also be evaluating your skills. The additional two months for the Akunoyosha are to ensure they are not a flight risk; rest assured we are eager to assess and add such masters of the team attack to our roster."

The adviser called Mitokado frowned at that. Obviously mention of certain prejudices had been relayed to them. "With significantly less bias than you faced in Kiri. If you two are special jounin or higher in skill, rest assured you'll be put to due consideration for the rank."

Haku saw the twins bow thanks in perfect coordination.

"You mentioned an Advocate?" he asked.

"Ah, yes," Utatane said, her gaze somehow piercing despite her squint. "As you are old enough to represent yourself on the councils, but do not yet know how they work, we will assign an advocate to aid you in establishing your clan here."

"Ah," Haku said. "Well, then I would request that the remit to this guardian be changed slightly. I shall be taking Uzumaki-sama's name. We plan to marry when she is 15; given that, it shall be the Uzumaki I will represent, if Naruko-sama does not herself."

"I see," the old kunoichi said. "Fubuki-san, you are aware what is said of the Uzumaki blood and kekkei genkai, or even gene dependent hinjutsu...?"

He was being tested. This woman may have made his betrothed uneasy, but she did seem to care in some way. "I have discussed it at length with Senju-sama. Our grand children may well manifest Hyuuton. If they so choose, Naruko-sama and I have agreed that they are allowed to take up my mother's clan name-- or even the one I have assumed now. The Uchiha, Aburame, and others have crossed with the Uzumaki; unless I am mistaken, Uchiha-san's eyes are active. I had the pleasure of meeting Naruko-sama's friend Aburame Shino. The hum of the clan's kaikuchou is as distinct as Zabuza-sensei suggested." Hakun met the eyes of his would be leaders evenly. "I am not here to cultivate a genetic line, Utatane-sama. I am here to live in a Ninja village I can actually see myself having pride in with someone I care for."

Utatane smirked slightly and nodded.

"I understand Jiraiya is already providing you with housing," the Hokage said. "That said, during your probation, we will be giving you a stipend--"

"That is not necessary," Haku said. "My betrothed and I own a corporation, and the man in charge of our Nami headquarters has already contacted us to set up cash flow. Please, reserve that money for those that need it, and pay us for missions when we take them. In fact, if anything we will need aid with finding further space for offices here."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "And... what of you, Akunoyosha Meizu and Gouzu?"

"List us as retainers of the Uzumaki," Meizu said in that light growl he always had. "Jiraiya-sama is arranging housing near Haku-tono and Naru-hime."

Haku shot a look at him. "He's going to keep calling us that, isn't he...?"

"Likely," Gouzu sighed. "We'll be staying with Haku until the housing is arranged, Hokage-sama. As to pay... when we undertake missions for the honour of the Hidden Leaf."

The God of the Shinobi nodded slowly. "That is more than acceptable. Your candor and directness is appreciated. Do you have any concerns?"

"About the testing..." Haku began.

Mitokado adjusted his glasses. "Simple blood tests, chakra scans, and then a practical test as part of your skill evaluation. I shall request Hyuuga Sayuri to oversee it. She has been Naruto's personal inin since... she... was six." Haku noted the effort, and reminded himself that for twelve years, his Naruko had been a boy to these people. "Also, I think Senju Tsunade will likely request being present, if you do not object."

Haku let a frown slip. "Why would Senju-sama wish to attend?"

The Hokage smiled. "You are her godchild's intended. While I have no doubt she respects Sayuri-san's skill, Tsunade has always been particular about the treatment of those she considers family."

"Ah." There was really nothing more Haku could say to that.

"If there is nothing else?" the Hokage asked, and nodded at the answering silence. "Very well. Please, rejoin Naruto and her friends-- it will likely save our door from needing repair."

Haku smiled. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

* * *

After the hugging and the victory dance and the ranting (in other words, typical from his idiot team mate), Sasuke watched her take Haku's hand and emphatically declare, "Ichiraku's," before half dragging the man toward the stairs. Sasuke would have thought "poor man", but the Ice nin was smiling too much.

"Ah," Meizu said in that near growl of his. "Please extend our apologies to Naru-hime--" (Naru-hime? Sasuke mused. Oh dear.) "but my brother and I need to go take care of a few things for her and Haku-tono." (Oh, Haku must love being their lord...)

A familiar mask appeared out of nowhere. Assuming it was the same man behind the boar mask, the ANBU had worked side by side with his brother. Sasuke caught his fists as they began to clinch.

"Meizu-san," the ANBU said. "Look for the silver-haired man at the base of the tower. Shin will direct you were you need to go." The masked Nin gestured at a nearby open window. "For your convenience."

Gouzu was already halfway out the window with a shouted " **Banzai**!"

Meizu sighed, shaking his head as his usually calmer brother exited. "At least he didn't hook up the chain first," he muttered, before following his twin.

There was a moment of awkward looks and sweaty foreheads. "So... Ichiraku's?" Kakashi offered.

"We'd better catch up to Narukun and Haku-san," Sakura agreed. "One should not be subjected to Naruto eating ramen for the first time alone."

Tani Ryu smiled. "You should hurry, then--"

"Oh, no," Sakura said, and Sasuke felt his heart patter as her voice adopted that _tone_. She clamped her hands firmly on Tani's arm, pulling him toward the stairs. "You're coming with us. Or Naruto will be asking, 'Where's Taniisan? Didn't he want to spend time with us?' and we'll be spending the whole time worried she'll yammer out her stress and choke on her damn noodles..."

Her commands, and Ryu's halfhearted resistance, faded as they disappeared down the stairs.

"Well then, stern cute little genin, shall we?" Kakashi said-- and when had he switched his porn for Two Wolves Dancing?

"Senpai," the ANBU said, "A moment with your student?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow, then nodded.

The ANBU did not kneel to match Sasuke's height, but did meet the boy's gaze. "You are to speak with Danzou-sama about your brother."

It was a statement, but Sasuke gave a trademark "Hn," of acknowledgement.

"When you have... go to Logging Site 10 and ask for Hiedo."

The ANBU abruptly stepped back, rejoining the chaos of the outer reception area. Sasuke blinked and looked at his sensei.

Kakashi, as always, was useless when he actually wanted advice-- a shrug and an eye smile.


	2. ... their people fill their bellies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words and nosh. Six meals with Naruto Uzumaki.

MAY 18, 11th YEAR, SECOND REIGN OF THE SANDAIME, 8:00 PM

DINNER AT ICHIRAKU'S

Ichiraku Teuchi was loving the puzzled glances some of his other customers were giving his best customer. Even jounin (who quite honestly he should have been having a harder time reading) had puzzled looks on their faces. Trying to figure out why this young woman dressed like the brat the Ramen-ya so favoured was here and why would occupy many a speculation laden conversation.

Perhaps they would have tried to weasel something out of he and Ayame, but his daughter had that look in her eye that reminded them of the frightful Day of the Bloodied Ladle.

Even Sarutobi-sama had noted the chuunin in question really should have known better.

But the crowd was already thinning, and his next rush wasn't until just before closing at midnight.

"Oi! Old man!" the girl said as she prepared to plunk down at the counter. "Can we get some food? We're starved!"

"Hn. Speak for yourself. Dead-last is the one that skipped the trail rations at our last stop," Uchiha Sasuke said. There was a small smirk on the boy's face and humour in his eyes-- the kind of humour you'd want to find in a friend's eyes when they're teasing. Something he'd only seen on one other Uchiha's face. Teuchi suppressed something between a sigh and a shudder while Sasuke settled to Naruto's right.

"You have to admit, Sasuke," the other girl said, settling on the Uchiha's right side, "those things are bland as hell."

"They contain a full day's nutrition in ever bar--"

"Somewhere, hidden in the recipe, is what used to be a tomato."

"--and are a sin against humanity and all the kami."

"Clearly Amaterasu herself would damn it," the fourth member of the party said.

Ayame raised an eyebrow at this newcomer. Oh dear. That was the same eye she used when sizing up her friends' potential beaus. "And this is Fabuki-san, then?"

The young man smiled a smile that was the warmth of a working hearth on a Snow Country's December day.

"Haku, please. It is a pleasure to meet two people so precious to Naruko, Ayame-neesan."

The ramen seller smiled as his daughter's face relaxed and she returned the small but respectful bow Haku offered. His smile became a grin as he noticed Naruto's pleased blush.

His grin slacked slightly as a familiar face he was more used to seeing out the corner of his eyes stumbling around drunk sat down on Haku's other side. "Ryu-san. Haven't seen you here in a while."

"The Hokage sent me with a message for Naruto and her team," Ryu said, calmly and with a slight edge that caught several eavesdroppers off guard.

Naruto's grin grew. "Taniisan was my dad's team mate! He's been telling me all sorts of things about my parents..."

She didn't seem to realize the effect her and Ryu's statements had on many at the counter. There were quick looks of disbelief at each other, sudden moments of realization... and, Teuchi was glad to see, more than a few of those were mixed with embarrassment or outright self recrimination.

It was a start. And frankly, he found the pure interest and/ or pleased surprise of those who had never considered Naruto anything other than a kid more heartening.

Teuchi met Ryu's eyes a moment, then nodded. "That's good to hear. It's good for you to know such things."

Naruto's smile grew more honest and pleased, and then she frowned thoughtfully. "Did they really dangle Dad off the top of the monument...?"

Teuchi smirked. "Got to be we'd wonder what was wrong if your father wasn't dangled off that thing every month. Or tied to a tree in the Forest of Death. Or ... well, you get the point. If not him, than Ryu-san. Or Ai-kun, or one of the genin... And your mother was usually the one to instigate it..."

Naruto smiled again. "Really?"

"Your mother was many things," Teuchi said, a fond look on his face as he remembered the woman with long, red hair who had once held her daughter's place as best customer. "Caring. Naturally protective. Beautiful and a good friend."

"Infinitely patient and diplomatic... ?" Ryu mused.

"...no," Teuchi affirmed.

"I seem to recall being dangled off that damn mountain once or twice myself."

There was a brief clatter behind him, which Teuchi ignored for the sake of his daughter's sanity. "You and young Maito-san were... 'repeat offenders', as I recall, Kakashi-san."

"The Beast called it some of the best training he'd ever had," Hatake murmured, skillfully deploying a book to take the place of his mask while they ate as he sat on Sakura's other side. "So. Recommendations?"

The Haruno girl frowned and looked at the menu boards above the counter, but Naruto spoke up.

"A Bounty of the Leaf bowl each to start, then whatever we want after-- starting with the pork special for me!"

"Bounty of the Leaf?" Sakura asked.

"It's made for us nins just back from a hard mission who need to start eating properly again, instead of on the limited means of the road," Naruto explained with an air of false refinement, then she grinned. "It's the healthiest thing on the menu. I mean, even with Hakun's excellent cooking and skills--"

"Thank you," Haku murmured as he watched Ayame and Teuchi work-- and Teuchi still loved the wonder his skill could give people.

"Mm. -- Even then, we're not gonna get everything we really need on the road, y'know?"

"Plus it's just damn good, eh, Uzumaki-san!" a chuunin at the other end of the counter called.

"Believe it!" was the easy answer, met with laughter by many and suppressed distaste by others who still didn't have an idea what exactly they were seeing and hearing. Idiots weren't suppressing it enough. "And this is a busy bowl-- one of the few 'busy bowls' you'll find here."

"Busy bowls..." Sakura mused as hers was set before her.

"Some folks forget that the noodles are the core of the ramen," Naruto said, and the seriousness in her tone warmed Teuchi's heart. "The noodles and broth must provide a solid foundation for the toppings to express. And... it's sorta like an omelet, y'know?"

Sakura slowly nodded. "If you're putting more than three toppings, you'd better know what you're doing."

"Exactly!" Naruto said, reaching past the young Uchiha to pat her other team mate's back. She snapped apart her chopsticks and snatched up two of the strips of meat laid atop the noodles "Itadakimatsu! Look? See, instead of a full cutlet, we're getting thin slices of pork, and some chicken strips-- enough to fill our daily need for protein. Notice how Ayame and Teuchi stop there with the meat?" she noted, speaking around the two strips now in her mouth.

"This isn't the 'everybody’s special'-- like in a Kuso style food stand, how they all have 'house style' fried rice..." Sasuke said, thoughtfully. "They aren't trying to upsell a meal by adding anything they can find in the kitchen to it; it's made to cater to a need, like Last said." He drew up some noodles and slurped with great dignity. Yes, Teuchi mused. Thinking back to meetings between the Fourth and the heads of two great and noble clans over his food, it was clear the boy was Fugaku's son.

"The Bastard's got it," Naruto said. "Same ideal with the shredded carrots, here, layered with the thin sliced leeks-- also called Kells onion-- and the nappa they're sitting on."

"I notice you don't ice the leeks," Kakashi noted from behind his book as Ayame set some sake and a saucer by his bowl with a shy grin.

"Bulb onions, yes. Otherwise they'd be too sharp and pungent. But the leeks are far subtler-- save for the tastes of some of our Kuso friends who come in," Ayame said, pouring a first saucer full for the Copy-nin before moving on.

"There's also nori and the tobikono under the narutomaki," Naruto enthused.

"Tobikono...?" Haku wondered, prodding at the named leaf.

"Try it," Naruto encouraged around a mouthful of noodles from her second bowl-- she had taken her time with the first one, hadn't she?

Haku took the leaf in his chopsticks and frowned at it, before popping it in his mouth. He frowned, and then a slow look of deep satisfaction appeared. Swallowing, he smiled. "It starts bitter and finishes sweet... and there's a saltiness not from the broth that makes the sweet stand out..."

"It's native to Hi, and grows mainly around Konoha," Sakura said, eyeing her own piece longingly before grabbing the menma floating beside it instead. "It can also change how the entire meal tastes-- not as much as the flip fruit of Iwa, but... that's why I save mine."

"Some say it was a by-product of the Shodai's Mokuton," Kakashi said, taking a sip of sake. "Ah. Good. Anyway, it grows elsewhere, so most think we just happen to be a good place to grow the trees it comes from."

"The name, though-- that's from the Shodai. He named it after his brother," Ryu said, drinking broth and nodding at Ayame offered more tea. "'Like Tobirama-kun, it is all business up front. This hides the essential course sweetness.'"

Seeing the look on her betrothed's face, Naruto paused in draining her third bowl. "Old man..."

Teuchi moved to the small bar back fridge. "Steamed?" he said, pulling out the folded leaf dumplings.

"Crispy," Naruto corrected.

"What's in those?" Haku asked, as Teuchi dropped them into the wok set aside for deep frying.

"A bit of sweet dough holds it shut, but it is actually an tobikono as the skin. From our own forests. Inside, nappa, green onion, and some seaweed from the coast, as well as some spice for heat," Teuchi explained. "Served along side the noodles. Some like to toss them in." By the time he had explained, the dumplings were pulled and draining. "But, see, there's just enough starch and such in the leaves that you can treat them like won ton."

He set the platter between Naruto and Haku, and smiled as Haku picked one up-- and offered it to Naruto. The girl didn't blush in the least as she snatched it with her teeth from his hand.

Oh, yes... her parent's daughter, Teuchi thought as Naruto reciprocated the gesture. Utterly uncaring about what anyone felt about how she felt-- or if she did, hiding it. And on her fifth bowl.

* * *

MAY 19, 5:30 am

BREAKFAST AT MORITAKE'S BAR AND GRILL

Moritake Shinichi suppressed all reaction when Kurenai-chan's Aburame student had appeared with the Uzumaki girl. He was old, and half his leg was missing, but by the Shodai's will, he was still a nin. So he took the girl in, and rapidly concluded anyone involved in Konoha's gossip web was an idiot.

Simple explanation. Henge. That was the same kid that painted up the Hokage Monument. Five seconds of observation told him that. Maybe Inoichi was right, and the only academy teacher worth their salt these days was the Umino boy. Took after his dad, that one.

"Are you and your betrothed not as inseparable as my initial impression suggested?" Shino said with a quirked eyebrow and a hint of humour as they sat at the bar. Given the door said closed, it was as private as anywhere else.

Kurenai had brought her genin here one at a time to discuss their personal training regimes, and then again as a group after their first day of missions. Moritake had found himself getting a soft spot for Team Kurenai almost from day one, so when Shino asked if there was a way he could hold a private meeting there the answer was a simple "yes".

Naruto smiled slightly and nodded thanks as Moritake poured tea for the two. "Kinda want to be my own person, and not just NarukoandHakun. Besides, Jiji asked me to wait until after my checkup to train again. Never mind I've been training all the way home," she added with a scowl as Moritake set a plate of savoury onigiri and another with pickles before her. At her murmured thanks, Moritake turned to Shino.

"Tobikono dumplings, no spice. A double order. And yes, our seasoned boiled eggs are available, Tamiya made a batch last night. Double order. Pickles?"

The boy simply nodded, though one eyebrow did rise. Moritake smiled when he turned away. Obviously, the boy didn't understand he was a Regular yet.

Naruto's pace was more sedate then stories of her eating ramen suggested-- she only ate one of the double order of four rice balls in the time it took Moritake to finish her friend's order. "Mm. Thank you for the letter, by the way."

Again, the eyebrow rose. "You wrote me first."

Naruto's lips pursed in thought. "Well, I mean... look, even Ino wrote me back eventually but... you and Hinata... you took time, y'know?"

"You are worth the time. I am in fact a bit upset I did not realize this sooner," Shino said, frowning as his food arrived. After his "Itadakimatsu" to Moritake and a light buzz as some of his partners deployed to one corner of each platter. "I believe I have deduced who your parents are."

Naruto paused in mid bite, and swallowed. _Parents?_ Moritake wondered. Why would parentage be an issue? The Uzumaki were a scattered clan, had been since Uzu fell. Orphans were not uncommon, and besides Naruto, there were only two other Uzumaki of note linked to Konoha itself he knew of in recent history. One was still alive and had started no family he knew of yet and the other--

Moritake set down the plate he was grabbing before he did something foolish like drop it, as painful memory cut through him.

"I have shared this with our classmates. I would suggest the less you make of it, the less they will. It is a fact, it is there. And even without that information, how some treated you over your condition--"

"I am aware of what Uzumaki-san is holding," Moritake said as he set another plate between them. Fried peach dumplings.

Shino lowered his collar to eat, revealing a smirk. "Mincing around the Kyuubi is rather vexing."

"Tell me about it," Naruto groaned. "I get why Jiji made the law, I don't hold it against him, but... well, like Shika-kun says, it's--"

"Troublesome," Shino and Moritake finished with her. The three smiled at each other, and Moritake decided then and there that Naruto was a Regular.

A hint of annoyance crept into the young bug nin's voice. "Given that and what I've read in my family library... your predecessors’ status ranged from open secret to openly stated fact. Even with the secrecy... I could not understand the... bile... some have toward you."

"The last time he got out wasn't exactly a shady leaf day, Shino-kun," Naruto said with the sad air of someone noting a fact she had no control over. She brightened slightly at the soba Moritake placed before her.

"We all loved Kushina," Moritake said firmly. "And her cousin was one of our most respected library nins-- and a capable fighter besides. Taught at the academy for years. It escaped from your mother, not you. We respect your cousin's memory, hail your mother as saint and people reject you. That doesn't make sense. Not that people do, but..."

"In addition, Narusan, there are many who had every reason to hate you but do not," Shino said gently. "Iruka-sensei is merely one example. Others... while I do not know the details of Mizuki's betrayal, he had no family to lose when the Fox struck. I lacked the facts to fully understand why people were shunning you-- something my parents have never done. And now that I consider you a friend..." Shino met Naruto's eyes. "Your are my friend. Thus, people treating you badly... I take offence to that. And will no matter what you urge otherwise. More over-- to change a situation, must you not understand it?"

Moritake had to hold a chuckle; Naruto's lip was jutted out comically far in a thinking face, and she absently slurped a dangling buckwheat noodle up before answering. "You... don't think it's just the tailed beast..."

"Do you have a bank account?"

Naruto's face snapped to carefully composed neutral.

Moritake found himself scowling. "That's a no. And sudden reserve can be as much a tell as anything, Naruto-san."

Naruto sighed. "I tried to get an account at a few of the banks. I'd rather my money be gaining some interest. Have a chance to invest it..."

"Was the Leaf's Own Shinobi Bank one of them?" Shino asked, pushing some pickles toward his partners, then again as elements of the swarm tried to avoid it.

Naruto blinked. "Yeah. In fact the manager-- head-banker nin-- whatever. He was really mean. You know, icy polite mean?" Naruto sighed. "Of course, now I know some of why--"

"Do not make excuses for people like that," Shino-- well, anyone but an Aburame would of spat it. His voice grew slightly firmer with the same effect. "Besides making them feel justified, it can lead you to miss vital facts."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and now the Moritake knew he saw echoes of both her parents there. "Maybe clue me in...?"

"While you were gone, Hyuuga Hiashi-sama came to the bank and very publicly closed his personal and clan accounts, citing the mistreatment of and denial of service to a Konoha nin. My sensei was there-- in fact, Hinata and I agree Kurenai-sensei and her father likely planned to be there at the same time in advance. It is when the manager himself attempted to subtly mention being justified not serving you that Kurenai-sensei explicitly stated your name. Kiba's mother's appearance... was pure coincidence, but on hearing your name she seemed rather angered. She then requested her funds be withdrawn as well and-- I'm given to understand she noted he'd be lucky if he had any clients left by day's end."

"Tsume-nii...?" Naruto murmured.

"The ANBU Hiashi-sama brought with him-- a noted NE ANBU by the name of Shin-- promptly left, supposedly to fetch more of his fellows. He came back with Sarutobi-hokage. The Hokage then announced the withdrawal of the token deposit from his own assets that allows a bank to operate as a Shinobi bank. Leaf's Own is no more."

Naruto's eyes had gotten wide. "Oi, Shino that's--"

"Exactly what the manager's flagrant violation of Konoha law required, no more or less," Moritake growled. He caught Naruto's stunned look and calmed himself. "Naruto, Konoha is a hidden village. A military base. You are a nin, a soldier in that base. Even if it happened during your training-- even before, as the child of those who served-- denying you service not only spits on the chain of command, it is treason. The same applies to all nins and their families. This is not special treatment for you, this is the Hokage's patience wearing thin when the special treatment he extended to a grieving people was abused."

"Not that we were welcome either," Shino muttered, eating a pickle himself. He missed the frown Naruto gained, but Moritake got a tingle. That was dangerously close to a Kushina-kun Death Sentence Frown. "But there maybe more. I decided to look further into matters on my own," Shino explained at the look this earned. "Naruto... how much do you know about your parent's properties?"

Naruto frowned, lip extending again-- _oh, Minato-sama, you missed out on raising a cute little little girl,_ Moritake thought.

"Well, I know that Sasuke is talking to Hiashi-sama today about some land his father... took over when Hiashi became my clan guardian, and that there's more besides..."

"Should be, your father spent enough time building up the estate," Moritake murmured.

"What?"

Moritake smirked. "Your grandfather became a drunken baka of a civilian after your grandma on that side died young. By the end, though, the only thing that Minato resented him for was squandering what little they had. He spent most of his life building up for his clan's future-- even before him and your mother stopped pretending to themselves they were just friends. The only ones who owned more of Konoha when they died were the Hyuuga, the Kogami Corporation, and the... Kaneko clan..." Moritake trailed off, and once again Shino was smirking.

Naruto's brow furrowed. "Did I miss--"

"The Kaneko clan are business people as well as nins," Shino explained. "And, interestingly, they've filed a few writs to have you're father's lands put on the public market, as the only claim is quote that of a distant relative of the Yondaime's wife without the financial knowledge to maintain it unquote."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and then they went wide as her mind caught up to things. "Did they run--"

"Yes."

"And what do you mean when you say your clan wasn't welcome?" Naruto said, and her frown changed slightly. It was smaller, but seemed to grow harsher for it. It was familiar, in its own way...

"It was made clear our hives were not welcome, but we are. An Aburame... after age five or so, the quirks that allow our special partnership mean that separating us from the kaikuchou is... ill advised."

"Fatal?" Naruto prompted.

"... with enough time. Yes."

"And does Jiji know the bank did this...?"

Shino suddenly found his food fascinating. "Now, yes. Before... we could bank elsewhere."

And suddenly Moritake knew who Naruto was reminding him of. Because he was reminded of the warnings when the Yondaime stopped smiling as her face became an icy mask. "Funny. I was just telling Jiji the other day that my parent's land wasn't that important to me. In fact, I was talking to Hakun last night about selling any of it we didn't need. Maybe a farm, land for a house, a place to give Ichiraku a better stand, some training grounds... that's it. Buy what we need as the family grows. We would have given a fair price to anyone."

"Not selling to them is a start, I suppose--" Shino said, trying to return to tactician mode.

"Moritake-san," Naruto said, eating her food with detached interest, "how hard is it to find out who owns what in this town? And where do I find out how to start a bank...?"

Moritake took in the girl before him and smiled. Uzumaki Naruto may use her mother's name, but at that moment she was her father's daughter. "Well, depending on how much you want this to hurt, Naruto-kun..."

* * *

10 AM

SNACK TIME WITH ANKO-NEE

After years of tolerating the Snake's student, it felt good to get her opinion off her chest. Honimura Murano smirked as the Snake Bitch's face tightened and reddened. As if anyone would come to her defence. She was Chimaera’s legacy in the Leaf, and the brat with her was (rumour had it) either a relative of the Demon or the Demon in a new form. Either way, a stain on the noble Uzumaki name. Murano imagined herself having quite a story to tell her little circle of fellow cart vendors.

This happy little dream was spoiled by a calm young voice that was Murano's first hint this would not actually end up being a good day for her.

"Deny me service if you want. Insult me. Tell your friends stories about things I'd never do. If you ever call Anko-nee 'snake bitch' or imply she got where she is by anything other than hard work again, I'll make what the Hokage just did to Leaf's Own seem tame. I own everything Gatou Corp used to, old woman, and I will use every penny of it to see justice."

Murano blinked. "How-- dare-- you're threatening a civilian! I'll file--"

"Slandering a fellow citizen of the leaf. Uttering unsupported accusations. Breaking Jiji's laws about me..."

"Is there a problem, Uzumaki-san?" a calm voice came from behind the two woman before her. Murano's head snapped up. Ibiki! Ibiki would rein in the bitch and the Demon (she was sure of it now)!

The Demon hiding as a genin blinked, turned, and gave the torturer a bashful grin. "Well, uh, niisan... Anko-neechan was taking me out for dango and wanted to tell me about my parents. I guess-- baa here thought me being here let her tell Anko-neechan how she really felt about her, and I didn't like how she talked about Anko-neechan."

"Really. Would you care to repeat what so angered Uzumaki-san for me, Murano-san?" Ibiki turned to Murano as he spoke, and something in his gaze made her guts turn. The familiarity was not a welcome one...

"N-nothing, Ibiki-san. The little bitch just went--"

Ibiki's presence, focused and near inin like in its clinical edge, silenced her. "'I barely put up with serving you, snake bitch. Take the demon's relative elsewhere to learn to suck her way up the ranks.' Did I mishear?"

The dango vender's eyes grew even wider. Her jaw worked. Ibiki had heard exactly what she had said. While she supposed he might defend the Snake Bitch to defend the ANBU stuck with her--

"You, as with many people," Ibiki said, his voice gentle in its anger, "have made many an assumption about the young women before you." Ibiki raised a hand, and four masked figures dropped from above. "I would not want you to waste your money on this, Naruto. Please, allow the ANBU to escort Murano-san to our offices. I'm sure Kazou will want to have words with her."

Kazou! Ibiki's own deputy! "I-- no... Ibiki-san."

"It's just a talk," Ibiki said. "About why your license is being revoked, and why you will have to serve time. You are lucky the Hokage has extended some leniency to me on whether violating this particular S-Class secret requires... capital punishment."

 _Death?_ Murano thought. _He says I'm lucky to not get death?_

"I was trying to be nice, oniisan. Warn her," Naruto said, and there was genuine sadness in her voice. The Dem-- this young girl was honestly upset that Murano would face punishment. As if it was her failing.

Ibiki grinned his nastiest grin. "Sadly, Naruto, I have a file on her that's bigger than yours. Murano-san says... many unfortunate things when she thinks no one who'll mind is around."

The girl was the boy-- the Demon-- why did Ibiki protect it?

"Oh," Naruto said, and there was something familiar to the sadness now. Why did that look haunt her so?

One of the ANBU turned off the brake of her cart and started taking her livelihood away. Two more formed on either side of her.

"Ibiki--" she pleaded, and the two masked nins stopped trying to gently turn her and took an arm each, half dragging her backwards away from where she had worked for years.

She saw the last masked nin, with red marks on the Cat facade, look at Ibiki. They seemed to quietly confer, and the Neko nin took to the roofs and disappeared. Ibiki's frown faded as he turned to the two women still standing by and smirked-- which was far nicer and friendlier than his smiles. "You need not throw your money around, Naruto. Akai Neko and hers will be watching."

The girl said something too quiet for Murano to hear as the ANBU took her away. Ibiki nodded, replying and patting her head. Suddenly, Naruto's arms were around Ibiki's waist.

Murano couldn't help but be in awe of how Ibiki, the Pain Dealer, could so easy return a child's hug or comfort one. Especially that one! But there he was, returning Naruto's embrace with a gentle smirk.

Murano spent most of the trip to the ANBU offices wondering when the world turned upside down.

* * *

1:30 PM

PICNIC BY HINATA

"Oi... Hina-chan..." Naruto said, eyes wide at the picnic bento the Hyuuga heiress presented.

"You should see her when we _plan_ a big group," Kiba snarked. Akamaru whimpered. "Oh, she knows I'm having fun..."

"This was a just in case set up...?" Sakura murmured.

"She makes Kuso style beef and cashews just in case...?" Sasuke mused.

"How long did this take...?" Ino wondered.

Hinata blushed.

"Are you going to stop with the disbelief so we can eat?" Chouji murmured. The Akimichi's grumbles vanished at the large platter of food Hinata gave him. "Ikuhduhkima," Chouji said around a bite of miso glazed sole.

"I... enjoy cooking," Hinata said quietly. "Especially for friends. That is all."

"Loading it up a bit, forehead?" Ino said, as Sakura nodded at each item Hinata offered to her platter. Rhinitis met Sakura's gaze, and smiled a bit as the Haruno girl rolled her eyes.

"Some of us realize you need more than skin and bones to be a ninja, Ino," Sakura said neutrally. Which of course, seemed to flummox Ino even more. Hinata had noticed Sakura was not rising to the Yamanaka's bait these days, not even when the poking involved Uchiha Sasuke.

"It is admirable to take care of your body as Sakura does."

Sasuke, on the other hand... Out of the corner of her eye-- even without her eyes fully engaged, her peripheral vision was quite good-- Hinata caught Sakura shoot a glare at her team mate. Sasuke-- Hinata found herself unable to frame the boy as "the Uchiha"-- gave Sakura the patented Sasuke- Detachment- Glare, with a smirk added. Sakura just rolled her eyes.

"Some of us our watching our weight," Ino managed, waving off all but a salad and some chop suey.

"That's ridiculous," Naruto said bluntly.

Ino stopped in the middle of pulling her plate back. She still didn't seem to get how to interact with Naruchan-- which made her do a fair imitation of Hinata herself. "I... if I--"

"You got lucky," Naruto pronounced as Hinata handed her a plate. Naruto flashed her a grin, and Hinata blushed. Even as a girl, Naruto was so... attention drawing! "You get to be a female form of your dad's figure. I've seen him. Slender muscle. Not built to show it off, but still strong," Naruto stuck some sole in her mouth and continued, somehow perfectly intelligible around the food. "That muscle with the looks you got from your mom-- nin boys could be drooling over you."

"As if she wasn't troublesome enough," Shikamaru muttered, accepting a plate of his own.

Ino looked a bit panicked a moment, then reached out and served herself a salt and pepper pork chop with the fat end of her chop sticks. She didn't notice the small smirk on Shika's face, Naruto's honest smile, and Sakura's nod-- and yes, Hinata had activated her Byakugan by that point. The byplay was far too interesting not to.

Shino accepted his plate, giving her a raised eyebrow. She glanced at his kikaichu as they emerged and then gave him a small smirk. He nodded, sighing lightly.

As if she wouldn't notice him using his colony the way she used her eyes...

Akamaru yipped happily at the beef laid before him, and Kiba almost did the same at his loaded plate.

"Summon them for training, and our cute little genin turn it into a picnic."

Naruto looked up, grinning. "Kashi-sensei! Sit, sit," she said, making room between her and Sasuke. "Kurenai-sensei, have you had Hinata's cooking before?"

Yuuhi Kurenai settled to said student's left. "Indeed. I must insist you both have some," she said, looking at Kakashi and Asuma. Hinata blushed again. Her sensei was all but ordering the other jounin to eat her food. She dutifully plated some for all three-- and blinked as Kakashi balanced his plate on his lap and deployed a book to cover his face while eating.

"It's a clan thing," Hatake said, without looking at her.

"S-- sorry.," Hinata said with a blush.

"What are we doing today, anyway?" Sakura asked. "I mean, I know Naruto's still off the training roster," and she let Naruto grumble over that injustice a moment before going on, "and I thought Maito-sensei booked the first group training session."

"I sent Pakkun to ask if we could do something to keep certain people from getting bored and, say, animating the Hokage monument to declare Saturday Buy Your Friends Ramen Day."

Hinata noticed the sudden foxy grin on Naruto's face.

"You did that on purpose," Asuma said, pausing in eating his rice ball.

"Prove it. But to delay that sadly inevitable event... we will take today to find out your seishitsu henka affinities," the Copy-nin said, proffering several pieces of paper. How he did this balancing his plate, book, and the papers had to be another clan thing, a jutsu or technique of the most powerful sort. "Jujutsus that transform you chakra into one of the elements or control existing manifestations can take a lifetime to master. Finding your nature affinity lets you know which of those jujutsus will be easiest to use."

"And Hinata has given us the perfect setting," Kurenai said. She caught Hinata looking at her. "Relaxed, due to a fine meal with friends."

"What's your record for blushes a day?" Naruto wondered, as Hinata found herself getting hot-faced again.

"888,888," Hinata said, and her mortification at letting that slip out actually faded as they laughed. Her friends were laughing with her.

"So... your blushes feel endless?" Shino offered through his dry chuckle.

"I am pained that you thought I needed this joke explained," Sasuke reflected with mock offence.

"Good one, Hinata!" Naruto said.

Kakashi had one of those eye things of his going as he held out the papers. "Everybody, take a strip, and focus some chakra in it. The paper was milled from trees in Konoha's heart; it is the best indicator paper in the Elemental Nations--"

"Why, Sensei," Naruto interrupted, her voice an annoyed monotone. "My paper appears to have displayed lines from a story about two young ladies deciding to share the object of their affections. In as many senses as possible."

"Ah. My cute little hentai genin, you obviously have the rare Echiiton affinity," Kakashi intoned with mock wisdom. "It explains your more innovative jujutsu’s..."

"Lucky Fabuki-san," Shika muttered, and grunted as Ino elbowed him.

"Baka-sensei!" Naruto declared, tossing the balled up paper at her teacher. "Give me an actual strip."

Kurenai sighed.

"Look at it this way," Asuma counselled. "At least Icha-Icha makes both the women and men real characters."

"There's that," the dark haired genjutsu mistress confessed.

"Mine turned to dust," Chouji noted. "That's Doton, right?"

"That's a good mix with your clan jutsu, Chouji," Asuma noted. "Lucky. Hinata, there's nothing wrong. Turn your paper over."

Hinata did so. "Oh. The other side turned black."

"So did Shika's," Kurenai noted. "Yin Yang, or Ohmyouton. Not surprising, it's what your clan techniques use-- chakra that differs only in whether it is focused from and on the body or mind. It's often the source of jujutsus that aren't seishitsu henka."

"Like manipulating shadows," Shika agreed. "Good. An additional affinity would have been--"

"Awesome?" Naruto offered.

"Tactical sound," Shino suggested.

"Useful," Hinata said.

"--troublesome."

"Oh," Naruto said, nodding.

"I suppose," Shino allowed.

"Praised log...?" Hinata offered.

"Amen," Naruto agreed.

"Troublesome friends, too," Shika grumbled, but he was smiling slightly.

"So, mine is a similar reason, then?" Ino said, showing her blackened paper.

"And my dust looks kind of grey, so mine likely went yin yang too," Chouji reasoned.

"Yes," Kakashi agreed. "Keep in mind, this doesn't prevent you from learning other seishitsu henka; it just indicates your natural talent. That means your Doton is a strong secondary affinity-- hard to get a read on, because of what Doton does to the paper. It's why we often have Doton results retest; the paper can react before we spot the primary affinity. Sasuke...?"

"I thought you might want to use me as a teaching example to elaborate on Chouji's result, Sensei," Sasuke said, and held his strip up. The paper crinkled, and only ignited after a few more moments.

Kakashi blinked. "Interesting. Your primary nature is actually lightening. Sasuke's own Raiton talents are actually stronger than his clan's traditional Katon." He seemed to be considering his student very carefully.

"Father was not exactly pleased. They... tested us early, in the Uchiha..." Sasuke's brow furrowed ever so slightly.

Naruto's lip jutted out, and Hinata found herself silently agreeing with Shika. Haku-san was very lucky to have cute little Naruto. "So... would Hakun's paper react to water and air at the same time...?"

"Ah, no. Hyuuton, being an advanced synergy affinity... it'd freeze, I'd guess. It's its own affinity, see? It's said the Shodai's Mokuton would make the paper stiffen."

"... right. It's something new."

"Is... Ohmyouton good if you don't have a clan hinjutsu?" Sakura said, holding up her strip.

"It's actually the affinity of natural genjutsu users in the Inton aspect, focusing on Yin, like myself," Kurenai said. "And when you stress the Yang via Youton, ijutsu."

Naruto smiled broadly. "Oh, Baachan is gonna apprentice you for sure now!"

Chouji frowned, pausing in his eating. "Baachan? I thought you were an orphan, Naruto?"

"Naruto's godmother is Senju Tsunade," Kakashi said, eye narrowing in mirth.

Hinata swore she saw Shino do an uncharacteristic double take. He looked at the blushing Sakura. "If Senju-hime-sama offers such, I would suggest you take it. She formed many special techniques used to treat ill members of my clan. Including one that saved me as a child. She has reportedly battled haemophilia to become the greatest inin of our time."

Sakura smiled lightly. "I'll... keep that in mind, thank you."

"I'm... water...?" Kiba said, blinking at the damp paper. "Huh."

"You were expecting Yin Yang?" At the boy's nod, Kakashi nodded, bit his thumb, then slammed his palm to the ground. "Bull."

The big bull dog appeared behind his partner, sniffed the air, and promptly leaned over Naruto's shoulder to give her a lick. "Hey, big guy," she chuckled, scratching his chin.

"Your clan's beast form jujutsus do have an element of Youton, Ohmyouton focused on the body. However, the bulk is co-coordinating with your partner's chakra, regardless of nature." Hatake held up a strip of chakra paper, and Bull took it in his mouth. The masked nin held a strip in his own hand, and with a nod his wrinkled while Bull's dried to dust. Hinata noted Sasuke returning Hatake's earlier look of interest. Ah. A common affinity. "Bull and Pakkun are both Doton-- it's why I started learning Doton jujutsus. Uhei often partners with me in assassination, because he's best with Suiton. Water can help boost Raiton attacks if you're careful. And don't, say, accidentally electrify the pool you and your sensei are standing in. Then get tied halfway up a tree in the Forest of Death..."

"You picked up a few of Mom and Dad's teaching methods, didn't you Sensei?" Naruto said "Tying us to stakes, burying us to our necks..."

"And interestingly, they are best used on his daughter."

"Oi!"

Akamaru clambered around his plate, and looked up in seeming awe at Bull before yipping and licking one of the larger ninken's paws. The huge dog looked down, his tongue came out in amusement, and then bowed to gently lick the top of the puppy's head. Bull bumped his head against Kakashi, and the copy nin offered the puppy a strip. "Now, depending on how good your control is, little one--"

Akamaru dropped the paper, startled as it tore in half lengthwise.

Asuma reached over and scratched the pup's head. "Easy. That's good. Air and water can be used in many collaborative jujutsus. It means you're an even better partner for Kiba."

At that, the puppy yipped happily and went over to his human partner, hopping into Kiba's lap. As Kiba began to stroke the white dog, the collected genin all turned toward Naruto.

The girl held up her paper, and focused.

The paper shot up out of her hands, and came down with a jagged tear down its middle.

Naruto was the first of the blinking genin to speak. "Okay, I know I'm getting better with fine chakra control, so that should _not_ have happened."

"Uh..." Hinata said, and yes, blushed as everyone turned to her. But she managed to press on, her Byakugan activated. "It wasn't the amount, Naruchan. I was watching as we t-tested. It was like... a b-badly mixed liquid, where you could still tell what made it. Whitish blue and a navy color, and a midrange blue at p-points. And your chakra coils... they seemed stressed by the chakra..."

"... give me a moment," Naruto said, a thoughtful look on her face. She spaced out a moment, her eyes unfocused and jaw slack. She came back to them after a moment, nodding as she wiped drool from her jaw with the back of her hand. That _was_ the bit no one mentioned about trance states, Hinata mused. "I didn't think it would let him just do that..."

"You were talking to the Kyuubi?" Shino asked.

"Yeah. And, y'know... okay. Basics of what I am, and I'm still learning. The seal that keeps Kyuubi-baka in me also allows me to tap his chakra... but our moods have to be sympathetic for it to just... come, y'know. Sure, I could wrestle it from him by force, or he can offer and I can take..."

"But he couldn't sabotage you on purpose unless you were already upset," Shika mused.

"If that is so, how is his chakra affecting the test now?" Shino wondered. "Your seal seems exceptional, Naruto-- from what you've told me, you've only recently become aware of the bijuu."

Naruto frowned a moment. "My seal's a little different than other jinchuuriki, Shino. It lets our chakra systems mix to a degree. The idea being... the fox goes with me, because he's anchored to my life. And as the bastard was just pointing out to me, if he wants to live at least the rest of my life, he's not going to keep me from getting stronger. I guess that was part of Dad's plan."

Ino blinked, then her eye widened.

"If she had kept up on her mail..." Shika grumbled.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, not a member of my clan, the hair... the Yondaime's picture is only everywhere... Hatake is the fourth's only surviving student, and you called his sensei Dad..." Ino said, half in wonder and half chiding herself.

"She's got some of her mother in her, too," Kakashi offered. "Uzumaki Kushina. Uzu refugee. Sealing prodigy. Held the fox before Naruto. The eyes and shape of her face, mainly."

Ino looked at Naruto, then rose and stalked across the circle to her.

It was oddly amusing, seeing Naruchan on the receiving end of a glomp, Hinata mused. No one said boo as Ino inserted herself between Kakashi and Naruto. "This town has a bunch of idiots in it."

"Yeah," Naruto said, looking at Shino, face uncharacteristically hard. "Shino and I were talking about that this morning."

"Oh...?" Kurenai said, looking at her student. Shino seemed to be trying to retreat deeper into his jacket.

"Leaf's Own was effectively banning the Aburame, too -- by banning their hives," Naruto said.

Bull, Kiba and Akamaru all growled as the three sensei scowled. "That's bullshit," Kiba spat.

They may argue a lot, Hinata reflected, but one sure way to make Kiba shut up and act was to threaten Shino. Or her, for that matter.

"That's a threat to your life, isn't it?" Shika wondered aloud.

"They were always careful how they phrased it," Shino said, and Hinata heard the bit of bitterness in his voice.

"Keep to the word to break the spirit," Sasuke mused. "To do everything needed to open an account... you'd feel that, wouldn't you...?

Shino nodded.

"I will find that bastard husk of a nin turned banker..." Kurenai-sensei began.

"He's with Ibiki," Asuma said, placing a hand on her arm.

Kurenai visibly calmed. "Right. It'll do. For now." The genjutsu specialist tapped her chin. "Do you think that the Hokage would object to some meditation exercises?"

Kakashi-- well, Hinata didn't know the Copy-nin well, but her Hyuuga training on reading others said he was thoughtful. "It was mainly physical exertion Hiruzen-sama was worried about... chakra awareness?"

"Hai," Kurenai said. "Her betrothed can likely help, he most likely had to go through the same thing."

"Go through... what?" Naruto asked.

"The blending inclinations. Because of his Hyuuton," Asuma said. "Even though you don't have a genkai kekkei, your seal is essentially creating an effect similar to Haku's bloodline-- combining your wind inclined chakra with the Kyuubi's... well, demonic chakra doesn't exactly chart like ours. "

"Come to it, I have some special chakra control exercises that are... ideal for you. Ah. And Kage bunshin," Kakashi mused. "Have one of you bunshin using the wind, and you use the tailed-beasts..."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "She knows Kage Bunshin...?"

Asuma nodded. "The Hokage did note he'd authorized her for one or two S-Class hinjutsu."

"Oi, why's she get a S-Class hinjutsu?" Kiba half growled-- though it was more whine like. "She can't even do academy Bunshin!"

Shino looked thoughtful. "Kiba, is it not wise to step back and consider what we know? Perhaps you have given part of the answer already. Kage Bunshin no jujutsu is not S-Class because of what it does. It is S-Class hinjutsu because it requires massive amounts of chakra to produce its solid clones. Narusan, am I correct in assuming even with Kage bunshin, you have trouble producing just one?"

"Believe it. Unless I've used a lot of chakra for something else, the fewest I've managed is three or four. Once, when I tried to do one, it blew up. That hurt when I got its memories, y'know?" Naruto said, wincing.

"Wait, you remember what happens to your clones?" Sakura said, wide eyed.

"That much chakra leaves an mental imprint which dispelling releases. Another reason it is S-Class," Shino noted. "You can get all the theory in the library, but the exact method is sealed."

"... so... most people would die of chakra exhaustion or go insane, but since Naruto has so much and is already nuts, she's fine?" Chouji wondered as Hinata loaded his plate again.

"Oi!"

Shino's eyebrows inclined down slightly, and Hinata knew he was smirking. "Essentially."

"Oi!" Naruto pouted. "You shouldn't tease, guys, I'm really delicate right now. Jiji even said I can't train!"

"Yes. Uzumaki-sama is a delicate flower now, lacking a dick."

The group almost simultaneously head snapped toward the voice. Chouji, on the other hand, closed his eyes and smirked.

"Sai-kun, you need new material, bud."

The dark haired nin's smile went from something Hinata had found slightly fake to a smaller, more earnest one. "It still breaks them up in the NE Tunnels, Chou-chan."

Behind the boy stood a silver haired nin about Iruka-sensei's age, and an older man with a mop of dark hair upon his head. The silver haired man had his face in one hand. The older man just shook his head before speaking.

"Forgive the intrusion," the man said.

"Not at all, Danzou-sama," Asuma said, starting to rise and bow.

"Sit, sit. I'm simply a parent requesting my child join the group," Danzou said. "If no one objects?"

"'bout time you hung out with more people our age," Chouji said after swallowing his latest mouthful, and making room beside himself. Though on his left, so Hinata had to back up slightly and allow him closer. "And I've been wanting you to meet Shika."

"Yes, your father suggested as much as well," Sai said, settling into the offered spot. He sighed and gave a resigned little frown, jerking his finger at the silver-haired nin. "And Shin-oniisan. And Ibiki-senpai. And Anko-nee. And Heido-nii. And... well, pretty much ever co-worker I have in ANBU and Ne. And Tousan." He turned toward Naruto and the fake-looking smile returned. "So--"

"Sai," the silver haired nin started to warn.

"--what it like, to be a dick-less lady now?"

"Eh, PMS is over sold, and I can actually still pee standing up," Naruto replied, without missing a beat. "Once I figured out masturbation, it was all good."

You could almost hear Sai's eyes blinking after that. Sai's older brother looked to his father.

"You have five seconds, boy."

"Ah, good. I only need three," Shin said, and then leaned down to place his hands on his brother's shoulders. "Hate to say I told you so."

"No... no you don't, Shin," Sai managed.

Chouji set down his plate after taking in Sai's shocked look and giving Hinata a napkin (which she gratefully used to clean the trickle of blood off her nose and upper lip). He stood and applauded, shortly joined by Kiba. Shika applauded from his seat, of course.

"No one," Chouji said with pride, "has ever out cruded Sai. We, your fellow Slacker Nin of Konoha... salute you, Uzumaki Naruto."

What could the other assembled nins do but join in the clapping and cheering as Naruto rose and bowed. "Thanks, thank you. Remember this when you're asked if you support my appointment as Hokage, and know I will do you proud should the Tsuchikage insult our virility and... dare I invoke Gai--"

Kakashi sighed. "In this case, I suppose you must..."

"Youth."

* * *

3:25 pm

AFTER TEA WITH BAASAN

Naruto leaned back and met Koharu's eyes, and there was a naked pain there rarely seen on Konoha's Most Surprising Ninja. "Is he still alive?"

It took Koharu a moment to catch up to Naruto's thought process, but she knew her voice was growing hard as she answered. "If any one could survive till now, it is Uchiha Madara. You hear the kind of rumours only nin spread about nin about him, or his plans. And some of them sound likely. Things only Madara would do. He is a madman, who is convinced whatever he is obsessed with is best for everyone. If anything lead to that rot that all the Uchiha harbour madness, or that their eyes have a demonic root... it's his actions."

The letter that prompted the change in mood was sitting safely on the nearby table by drained cup and pot, beside an untouched package.

Naruto closed her eyes, and opened them. And Koharu wondered how any one could doubt the girl was ninja.

"He's got too much reason to be interested in me. He's a threat to everything I hold dear. He killed my parents and is convinced he's right and is nuts. I have to start learning as much as I can. What's this?"

Koharu passed the package to Naruto. It was not the present-giving moment she imagined. It was better.

She was arming Kushina's daughter.

"This package contains the last two drafts of their beginners book on fuinjutsu-- the final draft and the publication galleys. Both are heavily annotated by your parents, Jiraiya, Hiruzen, and myself. The three of us were your parent's first pass editors. It's blood sealed; only your parent's child can open it. In the back of the galleys, you will find another seal. Once you understand enough from the book, you'll be able to open it. It's the notes for their planned follow up."

"An Advanced Book," Naruto mused.

"Yes. And also a scroll. Your mother would only say it would open when you are ready. It contains what your parents planned to make their family hinjutsu."

Naruto looked thoughtful. "... Ero-jiji taught Dad... Who was Mom's sensei?"

Koharu frowned sadly. "Originally, Hatake Sakumo. Your sensei's late father."

"Oh," Naruto managed. "Originally?"

"After Sakumo-san's death, his team disbanded. One of them entered an apprenticeship under her father, the head of her clan. She is now the head of the Gourudoko clan--"

"Usagi-nee?" Naruto asked. "She's let me... uh, camp out-- when I want to! In the forest her clan guards, I mean."

"I know," Koharu said, smiling. She also knew why a little "boy" had been forced to camp out before her admittance to the Academy allowed the orphanage to wash their hands of her. And how the dear little Rabbit of the Heart had stomped any opposition to Naruto camping in Konoha's most sacred forest. Then she sighed. "The other nin... I taught. Rock Lo."

"Rock Lee's father?"

"Not that you'd know it, the way Lo acts," Koharu said, unable to keep her disappointment from her voice. At the puzzled look she got in answer, Koharu sighed again. Thinking of her student made that happen a lot. "Lee... his chakra coils, the things that let one control and release one's chakra... are stuck in the state of an average person of around six. They've never developed enough to allow him to use jujutsu. Likely never will."

"He's the student that goes to the clinic I do," Naruto murmured.

"Likely. His teacher, Maito Gai, is able to open the central coils called the gates. This allows him to perform stunning physical feats. Rock Lee's gates are highly developed, especially compared to the rest of his system. Even opening the first gate pushes him-- well, further than most. But rather than be proud of what Lee-kun can do, Lo-San has convinced himself that this, among other things, has stopped the Rocks from being declared a full Clan of Konoha. He's all but disowned the boy, and has made clear he's not welcome at home."

Naruto's face called to mind Minato's in a delightfully fearsome way. "He has a son and he-- where does Rock Lee live?"

"In the same building you will be moving to shortly. Jiraiya insisted it be one of his properties. Lo... thanked him, but appealed to him not to waste his charity on a lost cause."

"I see."

There was a silence, and then Naruto's face softened slightly. "Who was Mom's sensei?"

Koharu smirked, face playful. "I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you. At said sensei's request. I will tell you that you haven't met them formally yet, but they've been very interested in your care all through your life. No hints!" she said, raising her hand.

"Aw," Naruto whined, suddenly very much a twelve year old girl again. "Just when I thought you were getting cool, Baasan."

* * *

6:30 pm.

DINNER WITH BAACHAN AND ERO-JI

"Come in," Morimoto Ami said, placing a gentle hand on the girl's back. "You're welcome here."

"Sorry, Morimoto-sama," Bungai Satomi said, blushing. "I should have-- she comes by for breakfast but we're busy and--"

She waved the girl's apology off, smiling. "You did not turn her away, others have tried to sneak in. Is there a problem, Uzumaki-san? You did say you have a reservation."

"Ah, no. I know that, Ami-chan. We're just... waiting for my god parents, y'know," the young woman said. She actually looked slightly uncomfortable in the simple yukata she wore. Bright orange, with dark blue trim. She wore it well. And the young man with her, holding an umbrella... well, his lilac tinted one suited him too. For all that a woman's clothing could fit a man. Both proudly bore Konoha's leaf on their foreheads.

"Oh? And the name of your party?" Ami asked helpfully.

"Fabuki Haku, Uzumaki Naruto, Senju Tsunade and Gamma Jiraiya," the boy provided promptly.

Ami blinked at them. "And you are waiting outside in the rain... why?"

The girl looked away. "I didn't want to cause you problems before Er-- Jirai-jiji and Baachan got here. I... not everyone wants to be in a place I'm in, and it isn't the breakfast crowd, y'know. They're... not used to me."

Morimoto Ami's mind was settled there and then. She was no nin, nor was her husband, and even she could see how idiotic the situation was. The rumour mill for and against the girl before her had been spinning all day... and no one seemed interested in the genin herself.

"Uzumaki-san is never a problem," Ami said gently. "Please, come in!" Ami lead them to the best seat in the house, right near the open kitchen's pass through. "You and your..."

"Betrothed," the young man said, sounding proud.

"... may wait here," she finished, smiling. She looked up at the pass through, where Yoshito met her eye. "Dana-sama, Uzumaki-san and Fabuki-san are waiting for her god-parents. They have a reservation."

"Hai," Yoshito said, smiling. "Taste menu, hai?"

"Yes, darling."

"Gakuto! Ranko! Hiro! Appetizers for two off the taste menu! One change! Kimichii Ramen instead of the miso!"

Ami smiled as she heard the three answering "Hai!" and set about getting some tea.

"Ami-san--" a customer said, grabbing her kimono. "I should warn you--"

She turned to him, face now closed and disinterested. "If you have issue with who else we serve, by all means, eat elsewhere," she said. The man released her clothing, blinking.

"I merely wished to--"

"I have had several dozen nins try to explain without explaining. And several dozen others assure me it matters as little as I think. I have no idea what your issue with Naruto is, nor do I care. My Hokage sees her as part of our village. She has breakfast here, sometimes, and none of our regulars object. That is unlikely to change to make the close minded and short sighted feel better."

"Ami!" a voice called from the front. And this time Satomi looked embarrassed for a totally different reason.

There stood Jiraiya, rubbing his head and waving at her as his dear wife glared at him. "Please! Let us in before I stumble into harming myself again!"

Ami turned to their newest hire. "Natsumi, chai for table one."

The girl's only reaction at who she'd be serving was a slight widening of the eyes, and then a nod. "Hai, Morimoto-sama."

"He ran into my palm," Tsunade said as Ami got closer. "Shockingly, this was just after he got fresh with your staff."

"I merely stated her kimono was well chosen," Jiraiya muttered.

"You were fine until you elaborated on why, dear."

Ami bit back a giggle and accepted the hug from both of them. "Your god daughter awaits, Senju-sama, Gamma-sama."

Jiraiya sighed. "I've told you, it's Jiraiya and Tsunade."

"Yes," Ami agreed, leaning closer. "And I get you to tell me every time so fewer endeavour to politely correct me. I expect I'll have to do the same welcoming Uzumaki-san."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Ami inclined her head toward table five. Tsunade glared, and Jiraiya walked right over to the man, his face closed as it was usually open. Even when a polite grin appeared, it had none of his usual fire.

"I'm part owner of this place, with my wife and the Morimoto family," Jiraiya said, voice clipped and restrained. He pointed at the blushing Naruto. "That's my god daughter." He took a step back and gestured to the door. "Leave."

The man in question and his wife paled. "Jiraiya-sama--"

"Save it. I'm fine with never seeing you here again. You're lucky I don't feed you to Ibiki-kun. And if Ami and Yoshito see any trouble from this... I'll let my wife talk to you next time."

Tsunade simply frowned when the two looked at her.

The two rose, and left, trying not to meet several of the eyes on them.

And Ami seated the Sannin with their god child and ignored the murmurs of her other customers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The advantage to writing this now is I can more smoothly integrate some things the esteemed mangaka behind Naruto added later, like the full "chakra spectrum".
> 
> Evil mentioned getting hungry while reading. Interestingly, I can make all recipes noted (save the Leaf's bounty bowl, as one ingredient is fiction), and found myself making them all as I wrote this.
> 
> Moritake wandered in from the Team 8 verse on me. If Viridian sees this, he has but to ask, and the cameo is gone.
> 
> Updated June 30th. And on July 2nd, our hero realised he'd mis-spelled the name his beta gave Haku. Then on July 17, I realised a bit of fannon about the Kyuubii I decided I wouldn't use crept in. Gah. Struck it.


End file.
